Praggnanandhaa Becomes First Indian to Win Grand Chess Tour: Check His Historic Achievement

R Praggnanandhaa has created history by becoming the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour. The 21 year old Indian grandmaster has defeated Fabiano Caruana 15-13 in the 2026 Grand Chess Tour Finals that was held in St. Louis.

The win was special because of the comeback. Praggnanandhaa was behind with 3-9. He was six points behind Caruana. However, on the final day he made a comeback and won the title. 

Praggnanandhaa Becomes First Indian to Win Grand Chess Tour

This win is a historic milestone for India as no Indian player had ever won the Grand Chess Tour before this. Moreover, it was also Praggnanandhaa's maiden Grand Chess Tour title. 

Fabiano Caruana was the defending champion. He won the tour last year and was trying to retain his title. The final score of the match was 15-13 in Praggnanandhaa's favour. It was a close and thrilling contest till the very end.

How Praggnanandhaa Completed the Six-Point Comeback

This was the most exciting part of the whole event. He was behind Caruana but made a comeback in Rapid Games. Here is a brief overview: 

Classical Games

Caruana won the opening classical game and for that he got the full 6 points. This was his early lead in the competition. 

The second classical game ended up in a draw and both players got three points each for the draw. After these two games concluded, Praggnanandhaa entered the final day with 3-9. 

Rapid Games

Praggnanandhaa turned things around in the rapid section. He won both rapid games against Caruana.

Each rapid game was worth 4 points and that is how Praggnanandhaa collected eight points. With this effort, the score moved to 11-9 in his favour.

Blitz Games

The blitz section had four games. The first game out of the four ended up in a draw. Caruana then won the second blitz game. This levelled the match at 12-12. Each blitz game awards 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw. 

Praggnanandhaa did not lose hope. He won the third blitz game to regain the lead. With a 14-12 advantage, he only needed a draw in the final game to win the title. He secured this draw and won the competition. 

Praggnanandhaa vs Fabiano Caruana: Final Score

What Is the Grand Chess Tour?

The Grand Chess Tour is one of the top events in chess. It brings together some of the best players in the world every year.

The tour combines three formats of chess. These are classical, rapid, and blitz. This tests a player's skill and speed across different time controls.

How Much Prize Money Did Praggnanandhaa Win?

The 2026 Grand Chess Tour Finals had a total prize fund of $450,000. This made it one of the richest events on the chess calendar.

Praggnanandhaa received $200,000 for winning the title. This was the biggest share of the prize fund. Along with the prize money, he also secured an automatic place in the 2027 Grand Chess Tour.