Maxime Vachier-Lagrave Ranks R Praggnanandhaa in His Candidates Tournament Tier List
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave Ranks R Praggnanandhaa in Controversial Candidates Tournament Tier List
In a bold move that has sparked discussions among chess enthusiasts, French grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave has placed India’s rising star R Praggnanandhaa in the third tier of his tier list for the upcoming Candidates tournament. This ranking comes as part of Vachier-Lagrave’s analysis of all eight players competing in the prestigious event, shared during a recent conversation on the “Chess with Mustreader” YouTube channel.
Vachier-Lagrave, known for his candid opinions, acknowledged that his assessment of Praggnanandhaa might be considered a “hot take.” He emphasized that while he does not discount any player’s chances of winning, he believes current form plays a crucial role in determining their potential success.
The Tier List Breakdown
Vachier-Lagrave’s tier list categorizes players from S (the favorites) to C (the underdogs):
- Tier S: Fabiano Caruana
- Tier A: Wei Yi, Anish Giri
- Tier B: Javokhir Sindarov, R Praggnanandhaa
- Tier C: Matthias Bluebaum, Andrey Esipenko
Praggnanandhaa’s Recent Performance
Discussing Praggnanandhaa’s placement, Vachier-Lagrave remarked, “It’s harsh because you know that skill-wise, if we were in the first six or eight months of 2025 right now, Pragg would have been at S tier.” He noted that while the young Indian talent had an impressive run in 2025, his performance began to wane after the FIDE Grand Swiss, leading to a series of challenging tournaments.
Vachier-Lagrave expressed concern over Praggnanandhaa’s recent struggles, particularly at the Wijk aan Zee tournament, stating, “I’m really not convinced from his Wijk performance. There’s only two months between the end of Wijk and the Candidates starting, and in general, he’s not in a good spiral.”
The Road Ahead
The French grandmaster emphasized the importance of breaking out of this slump, saying, “If I have the guarantee that he will manage to find the key to break that spiral, I would put him at S tier.” However, he ultimately placed Praggnanandhaa in the B tier, highlighting the significance of current form in the competitive landscape of chess.
Vachier-Lagrave also addressed concerns about Praggnanandhaa’s physical and mental exhaustion from playing too many tournaments. He noted that while recovery is essential, the mental toll of six months of subpar results can be challenging to overcome.
As the chess community awaits the Candidates tournament, all eyes will be on Praggnanandhaa to see if he can defy expectations and reclaim his spot among the elite. Vachier-Lagrave concluded, “I would be happy for Praggnanandhaa if he proves me wrong and that he plays at his best level because in general, I want everyone in the candidates to play at the best level.”
With the tournament just around the corner, the chess world is buzzing with anticipation, eager to see how the young prodigy will respond to the pressure and whether he can rise to the occasion.