Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa Finishes at the Bottom in Rapid Section of Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz Chess Tournament

Indian grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa had a tough outing at the Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz chess tournament, finishing at the bottom of the table in the rapid section. With only four points out of a possible 18, Praggnanandhaa struggled to find his form against some tough competition.

The top spot in the rapid section was shared by Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia, Alireza Firouzja of France, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France, all with 11 points each. Following closely behind were Levon Aronian of Armenia and USA’s Wesley So, Lenier Dominguez, and Hikaru Nakamura, all tied at nine points.

Praggnanandhaa will now have to rely on a strong performance in the blitz section to make a comeback in the tournament. With the point system reverting to one point for a win and half a point for a draw, the Indian grandmaster will need to put on a stellar performance to climb up the standings.

While Praggnanandhaa currently sits in 10th place, he still has a chance to improve his ranking with a strong showing in the blitz section. The competition is fierce, with Firouzja also vying for the top spot in the tour rankings.

As the players gear up for the blitz section, all eyes will be on Praggnanandhaa to see if he can turn his fortunes around and make a mark in the tournament. With the Sinquefield Cup looming ahead, the Indian grandmaster will be looking to finish strong and make his mark on the international chess scene.