R Praggnanandhaa Shines in Blitz, Secures Second Place at Superbet Rapid & Blitz Tournament
R Praggnanandhaa Shines in Blitz at Superbet Rapid & Blitz Tournament
Bucharest, Romania – Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa showcased his remarkable resilience and skill at the Superbet Rapid & Blitz tournament, part of the prestigious Grand Chess Tour, securing second place in the blitz section after a challenging start on Tuesday.
Despite facing early setbacks in the rapid chess format, where he suffered defeats against Romania’s Deac Bogdan-Daniel and USA’s Levon Aronian, Praggnanandhaa quickly turned the tide in the blitz games. Demonstrating his exceptional tactical prowess, he amassed an impressive 5.5 points from nine blitz games, defeating notable opponents including France’s Alireza Firouzja and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, as well as Bulgaria’s legendary Veselin Topalov.
The blitz format, characterized by five-minute games with a three-second increment after each move, allowed Praggnanandhaa to exhibit his trademark complex playing style, particularly excelling in the latter rounds. His ability to adapt and recover from early losses was a testament to his mental fortitude and strategic acumen.
Leading the tournament was Slovenia’s Vladimir Fedoseev, who dominated the day with an outstanding score of 8 out of 9. Fedoseev’s performance has given him a commanding lead of 19 points out of a possible 27, placing him 3.5 points ahead of Praggnanandhaa. With only nine games remaining, Fedoseev needs just 4.5 points to secure overall victory, barring any dramatic shifts in the standings.
Indian GM Aravindh Chithambaram, who had a promising start with 2.5 points in his first four games, struggled in the blitz section, managing only 3.5 points overall. His performance in the latter rounds saw him secure just one point from his final five matches, leaving him in a challenging position.
As the tournament progresses, the current standings reveal Fedoseev leading with 19 points, followed closely by Praggnanandhaa at 15.5 points. Aravindh, along with Aronian and Vachier-Lagrave, shares third place with 14.5 points each. Firouzja holds sixth position with 14 points, while Duda Jan-Kryzsztof and Deac Bogdan-Daniel are tied at 13 points each. David Gavrilescu and Veselin Topalov round out the standings with 9 and 8 points, respectively.
With the final day of competition looming, all eyes will be on Praggnanandhaa as he aims to close the gap on Fedoseev and secure a top finish in this prestigious tournament. The chess world eagerly anticipates what the young Indian prodigy will bring to the board in the remaining rounds.