Chess: Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa wins maiden St. Louis Rapid & Blitz Title in US

By  News On Air   Aug 07, 2026

Indian grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa has clinched the Grand Chess Tour St. Louis Rapid and Blitz title in the United States. The 20-year-old secured the championship after drawing against Uzbekistan’s Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov in the penultimate round, finishing the tournament with 23 points out of a possible 35.

Praggnanandhaa maintained the lead throughout the five-day event, with  Sindarov mounted a strong challenge in the final stages but fell short, finishing runner-up with a 1.5-point deficit.

Earlier in June, Praggnanandhaa scripted history by claiming the Norway Chess 2026 crown in Oslo after defeating Germany’s Vincent Keymer in the tenth and final round.