Six points down, facing the defending champion and with little going in his favour, R Praggnanandhaa had every reason to write off his chances on the final day of the Grand Chess Tour 2026 in Saint Louis, USA. Instead, the Chennai-born chess star turned the deficit around to lift the trophy, becoming the first Indian to win the championship since its inception in 2015. “My chances weren’t high but I wanted to give it a fight on the last day. I wanted to make sure that I don’t give it easy for my opponent and I just turned with confidence. Winning the whole tour, the final, it feels amazing.” says Praggnanandhaa
But what if that comeback had never happened? For some one who is now used to winning from a very young age, how important is winning still for him? “For me it’s self-expectation and not really outside pressure. I expect myself to at least be in contention every time I play, not necessarily win. So if I’d lost, yeah, it would’ve been slightly disappointing. But I would have been happy with the fight I gave — anyone can have a bad day. You take the lessons and move on. I don’t think one result decides how I see myself.”
Ever since Pragg became the youngest International Master (IM) in chess history at just 10 years old in 2016, he has often been called a prodigy. But the Chennai youngster does not seem too interested in the label. “I don’t really think much about what people say. If you ask me, I wouldn’t say I am a prodigy or anyone in my generation as prodigy. I think we are past that, we compete at the absolute top with the best to be the best!”
And while Pragg is now back among the names ruling the chess world, he has had his share of setbacks. In 2024, he had spoken about being unhappy with his performances. That period, however, also forced him to look at what was holding him back. “I felt towards the end of 2024 there was something that was pulling me back from going for it in every game. I was not being ambitious when it is required. This is something I worked on towards and it is now showing in my game. The support from my family, coaches and Adani Sportsline has also been important in giving me the freedom and stability to focus on my chess and keep improving."
{{/usCountry}}And while Pragg is now back among the names ruling the chess world, he has had his share of setbacks. In 2024, he had spoken about being unhappy with his performances. That period, however, also forced him to look at what was holding him back. “I felt towards the end of 2024 there was something that was pulling me back from going for it in every game. I was not being ambitious when it is required. This is something I worked on towards and it is now showing in my game. The support from my family, coaches and Adani Sportsline has also been important in giving me the freedom and stability to focus on my chess and keep improving."
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