Praggnanandhaa Tops Elite Field To Claim Rapid & Blitz Title In Saint Louis

Praggnanandhaa tops elite field to claim rapid & blitz title in Saint Louis (Image Source: IANS)

Saint Louis Chess Club: India Grandmaster (GM) Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa won his first Rapid & Blitz title at the 2026 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, the first U.S. leg of the Grand Chess Tour (GCT).

The Indian GM built his victory by topping the rapid section with 12 out of a possible 18 points before sealing the overall title in the blitz, winning $50,000. His rapid performance also lifted him into the live top 10 of the world rapid rankings for the first time in his career.

"I was just trying to stay calm and play. I wanted to win the Rapid and Blitz separately, which I think I managed, so that's good," Praggnanandhaa said after his victory. "Last year, the Rapid & Blitz put me in a situation where I had to perform in the Sinquefield Cup, but this time the Rapid & Blitz has helped me go into the 2026 Sinquefield Cup with a good score, so I'm happy that I managed to improve in that area."

Finishing second was Uzbekistan's Javokhir Sindarov, who held the runner-up spot throughout the tournament to earn $40,000 in prize money. American grandmaster Wesley So placed third, earning $30,000.

"Congratulations to Praggnanandhaa on an outstanding performance throughout the week," said Yasser Seirawan, chief commentator and spokesperson for the Saint Louis Chess Club. "He set the pace in the rapid section and continued to play with remarkable consistency in the blitz against one of the strongest fields in the world. Winning the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz is a significant achievement, and we look forward to seeing him carry this momentum into the Sinquefield Cup next week."

The win helped Pragg move to second spot in the overall standings in the Grand Chess Tour.

With this, the 2026 GCT Finals is beginning to take shape. GM Fabiano Caruana currently holds the top spot, followed by GM Praggnanandhaa, GM Wesley So and GM Vincent Keymer.

The last regular season stop and signature event of the GCT circuit, the 2026 Sinquefield Cup running from August 10 to19, will continue its traditional classical format. Hosted annually by the Saint Louis Chess Club with a $475,000 total prize fund, the strongest tournament on American soil will be the final opportunity for competitors to earn points in the 2026 GCT, aiming to finish in the top four to qualify for the GCT Finals.

The tournament will feature wildcard GM Levon Aronian from the United States, as well as GM Sam Sevian from the United States, who replaced GM Alireza Firouzja, who withdrew from the Sinquefield Cup late last month.

Standings 2026 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz:

1 GM Praggnanandhaa (IND) $50,000

2 GM Javokhir Sindarov (UZB) $40,000

3 GM Wesley So (USA) $30,000

4 GM Levon Aronian (USA) $20,000

T-5 GM Fabiano Caruana (USA) $12,000

T-5 GM Jorden Van Foreest (NLD) $12,000

T-5 GM Leinier Dominguez (USA) $12,000

8 GM Anish Giri (NLD) $9,000

9 GM Vincent Keymer (GER) $8,000

10 GM Awonder Liang (USA) $7,000

Overall standings in Grand Chess Tour:

1 GM Fabiano Caruana (USA) 25 points, $137,833

2 GM R. Praggnanandhaa (IND) 24.5 pts, $103,416

3 GM Wesley So (USA) 23.5 pts, $102,500

4 GM Vincent Keymer (GER) 21 pts, $154,250

5 GM Javokhir Sindarov (UZB) 20.5 pts, $112,333

6 GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) 14.5 pts,

$62,416

6 GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) 14.5 pts,

T-7 GM Anish Giri (NLD) 11 pts, $47,416

Article Source: IANS