Pragg Advances To Face Carlsen In Chess World Cup Final

In a remarkable feat, Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa secured an impressive triumph over the third-ranked player globally, Fabiano Caruana, during the FIDE World Cup Chess tournament’s semifinals in Baku, Azerbaijan on Monday. This victory positions him to compete against Magnus Carlsen in the tournament final scheduled for Tuesday. With this win, Praggnanandhaa joins the ranks of legendary player Viswanathan Anand as the second Indian to reach the championship match of the tournament. In the semifinals, the young Indian player stunned Caruana by winning the tie-break game 3.5-2.5.

“Given that the championship represents the sole opportunity to contend with Magnus, I hadn't initially included it in my plans. I hadn’t even expected to make it to the final. Somehow, things unfolded this way. I’ll give my utmost effort,” Praggnanandhaa stated after his victory.

Using a tennis analogy, this challenge is comparable to attempting to defeat Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic all within the same tournament. Only David Nalbandian managed this rare feat in 2007 at Madrid. Praggnanandhaa will aspire to replicate David’s success as he confronts this formidable opponent.

Although the absence of a rest day might affect his performance, the remarkable series of victories should serve as ample preparation for facing a chess player who has held the top position since November 2013.

During the semifinals, Caruana exerted considerable pressure on Praggnanandhaa in the classical games. However, the Indian player managed to navigate through these challenges and stay afloat.

Reflecting on the match, Praggnanandhaa attributed his success to his defensive skills, admitting he was on the verge of losing in most of the games. He acknowledged that while he was consistently defending, some mistakes in the opening moves put him in a difficult position.

As a result, the match proceeded to a tiebreak. In the shorter and faster-paced games (Rapid and Blitz), strategies for counterplay and imbalance come into play. In the 25-minute section, Caruana maintained control over the game.

Carlsen isn’t a new opponent; they have crossed paths 19 times, albeit largely in the Rapid format. Parggnanandhaa’s task will be to navigate the standard games before shifting focus to attacking during the tiebreak.

While every young chess player admires Carlsen, Praggnanandhaa aims to demonstrate that this contest now stands as a battle between equals.