R Praggnanandhaa Secures Draw Against Wesley So at Super Chess Classic, Vincent Keymer Maintains Lead as Tension Builds for Final Rounds
R Praggnanandhaa Holds Wesley So to a Draw at Super Chess Classic, Setting Up Tense Final Rounds
Last Updated: May 20, 2026, 01:18 IST
In a gripping fifth round of the Super Chess Classic, Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa showcased his resilience by holding American star Wesley So to a draw. This match, part of the prestigious Grand Chess Tour, marked Praggnanandhaa’s fourth draw in the tournament, keeping him in contention as the competition heats up.
Germany’s Vincent Keymer remains in the lead with 3.5 points, maintaining a narrow half-point advantage over Praggnanandhaa, who now shares second place with Dutch players Anish Giri and Jorden Van Foreest, both at 3 points. The standings are tight, with France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Wesley So trailing closely behind at 2.5 points each.
The day saw no decisive games, as Keymer also settled for a draw against Giri, while Vachier-Lagrave and Van Foreest, along with Fabiano Caruana and Javokhir Sindarov, all ended their matches in stalemates. Romanian Bogdan-Daniel Deac sits in ninth place with 1.5 points, just ahead of Alireza Firouzja, who has 1 point.
Praggnanandhaa opted for the Berlin Defence against So, who initially played cautiously. The middle game saw an exchange of three minor pieces, but So soon gained the upper hand with a breakthrough on the king’s side. However, Praggnanandhaa displayed remarkable counterplay, leading So to agree to a draw after 45 moves.
In a notable return, Firouzja played against Sindarov from his room after sustaining an ankle injury in the previous round, resulting in another draw. Keymer faced challenges against Giri but ultimately reached a balanced rook-and-minor-piece endgame, concluding their match in just 32 moves.
As the tournament takes a brief pause on Tuesday, the excitement is palpable for the remaining four rounds of this $350,000 prize money event. With the stakes high and the competition fierce, chess enthusiasts eagerly await the next round of battles.
Round 5 Results:
- Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra, 2.5) drew with Jorden Van Foreest (Ned, 3)
- Wesley So (USA, 2.5) drew with R Praggnanandhaa (Ind, 3)
- Bogdan-Daniel Deac (Rou, 1.5) drew with Fabiano Caruana (USA, 2)
- Alireza Firouzja (Fra, 1) drew with Javokhir Sindarov (Uzb, 2)
- Anish Giri (Ned, 3) drew with Vincent Keymer (Ger, 3.5)
As the tournament resumes on Wednesday, all eyes will be on Praggnanandhaa and his competitors as they vie for the championship title.