R Pragganandhaa set to kick off St. Louis Rapid and Blitz tournament with a promising draw

Indian Grandmaster R Pragganandhaa is all set to kick off his campaign at the St. Louis Rapid and Blitz tournament with a decent draw, facing off against top players from around the world. With a mix of experienced opponents and rising stars, Pragganandhaa has a good opportunity to climb up the rankings and make a mark in the chess world.

Starting off with black pieces against Levon Aronian of the United States, Pragganandhaa will then face off against strong players like Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Alireza Firoujza, Fabiano Caruana, and Nodirbek Abdusottorov. With USD 1,75,000 at stake as the total prize pool, the competition is expected to be fierce.

While Caruana is considered the favorite for the title due to his recent victories, players like Hikaru Nakamura and Ian Nepomniachtchi cannot be counted out. Nakamura, a wild-card participant, has the ability to upset the top players, while Nepomniachtchi, a two-time world championship challenger, will be looking to regain his form.

The tournament will consist of nine rounds of rapid and eighteen rounds of blitz, with each victory in the rapid games worth two points. The overall winner will be determined by a combination of rapid and blitz scores, with the blitz games following the traditional scoring system.

Following the St. Louis Rapid and Blitz tournament, the players will move on to the Sinquefield Cup, the final event on the Grand Chess tour this year. India’s D Gukesh will also be joining Pragganandhaa in this prestigious event, adding to the excitement for chess fans around the world.