Bengaluru: In a year marked by Gukesh's ascent to world champion and Arjun Erigaisi's remarkable rise in the global rankings, one Indian player who received less attention was Praggnanandhaa. Earlier in the year, he achieved notable victories against Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana at the Norway Chess tournament. However, as the year progressed, his peers delivered exceptional performances that overshadowed his achievements.

On Sunday, in a quaint Dutch village along the North Sea coast, Praggnanandhaa dispelled the notion of a quiet year with an electrifying display.

He triumphed over reigning world champion and fellow Indian Gukesh in a thrilling tiebreak, becoming only the second Indian, after Viswanathan Anand, to claim the Tata Steel Masters title in Wijk Aan Zee. This prestigious tournament, which has a rich history dating back to 1938, has seen illustrious winners such as Mikhail Tal, Mikhail Botvinnik, Garry Kasparov, and Magnus Carlsen. Praggnanandhaa will now be honoured on the esteemed Wijk Aan Zee Wall of Fame, a sight he has admired during his previous visits to the event.

“When I arrived here, my goal was to win the tournament, but the competition was formidable,” remarked the 19-year-old after nearly eight hours of intense play on Sunday. He expressed gratitude to Arjun for defeating Gukesh, his co-leader, in Round 13. “I should buy Arjun something,” he chuckled.

With this victory, Praggnanandhaa ascended to world No. 7 and secured the second position in the FIDE Circuit leaderboard with 25 points. Former world champion Ding Liren currently leads with 40.64 points. After the year, the player at the top of the circuit leaderboard will earn a spot in the eight-player Candidates tournament in 2026, which will determine the challenger for Gukesh in the next World Championship.

Praggnanandhaa dedicated a significant portion of the previous year to participating in various tournaments, adhering to a demanding competition schedule. This year, however, he is expected to adopt a different approach. His mentor, RB Ramesh, noted, “One of the challenges last year was the insufficient time between tournaments to address any issues. There was no opportunity for adjustments. We concluded that it was necessary to reduce the number of tournaments this year. Over the past couple of months, we have focused on some improvements, which may have contributed positively to Wijk Aan Zee.”

Additionally, efforts were made to shift his mindset. “Following his performance last year, I believed he needed to adopt a more aggressive and ambitious mentality, moving beyond merely avoiding losses to actively pursuing victories against all opponents, regardless of colour. It appeared that he had become overly professional in his approach, relying solely on technical merits. This can diminish creativity and the willingness to take risks. A change in mindset was essential for aligning his approach. We discussed this, and it seems to be yielding results. He is now focused on winning games, which is reflected in the noticeable decrease in draws.”

The young player's determination and desire for victories were particularly evident in his swift recovery following defeats in Wijk Aan Zee. After losing to Anish Giri in Round 9, Praggnanandhaa achieved three consecutive victories against Vladimir Fedoseev, Fabiano Caruana, and Alexey Sarana. As he entered the final round, he found himself tied for the lead with Gukesh.

On Sunday, after a gruelling two-week tournament, the decisive moment arrived amidst fatigue and tension. Arjun defeated Gukesh, providing Praggnanandhaa with an opportunity to secure the tournament victory outright. All he required was a draw against Germany’s Vincent Keymer.

Pressure can manifest in unexpected ways. After seven hours of intense competition, he found himself in a rematch against Gukesh. The reigning world champion, who had suffered an early defeat earlier in the evening, utilized his time before the blitz playoffs to engage in a 3-minute puzzle rush for relaxation. In contrast, Pragnanandhaa, with scarcely a moment to recuperate, spent his time before the crucial tiebreak with his mother, Nagalakshmi, and sister, Vaishali.

He began the blitz segment by making a blunder, resulting in a loss in the first game. For the second time during what had already been an exceptionally long day, he needed to dig deep and muster the determination to stage a comeback. He triumphed in the following two games, securing the most significant tournament victory of his career, and exited the playing hall, overwhelmed with a mix of exhaustion and elation.

“We aimed to qualify for the World Championship last year, but circumstances did not favour us,” Ramesh reflects. “It was somewhat disheartening. This year, our objective is for him to qualify for the Candidates, allowing him the opportunity to compete for the World Championship next year. This marks a promising beginning.”

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