NEW DELHI: In a major milestone for Indian chess, R Praggnanandhaa has leapfrogged reigning world champion D Gukesh in the live FIDE rankings, marking a significant personal and national achievement. As of Saturday, Praggnanandhaa’s live rating climbed to 2777.2, nudging past Gukesh’s 2776.6.The 19-year-old prodigy is currently competing in the UzChess Cup Masters in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, a prestigious event hosted by the Uzbekistan Chess Federation that’s quickly gaining global attention. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!After a draw in the opening round, Praggnanandhaa bounced back in style in Round 2, defeating Uzbekistan’s Shamsiddin Vokhidov with the white pieces.
World’s top 10 in live rankings (Photo: 2700chess.com)
He now leads the tournament standings with 1.5 points, tied with fellow Indian Arjun Erigaisi and others.Praggnanandhaa’s rise in the rankings is part of a broader Indian surge in world chess.
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Recently, India had four players in the global top 10 live ratings — Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh, Arjun, and the newly crowned Aravindh Chithambaram, who clinched the title at the 6th Stepan Avagyan Memorial in Armenia.In that tightly contested event, Aravindh and Praggnanandhaa both scored 6.5/9, but Aravindh claimed the top spot on tie-break. ALSO READ: ‘If there were chess tournaments in Bangladesh, why would I come to India?’: 80-year-old Rani HamidThe two, who train together under coach RB Ramesh, pushed each other throughout the event. “It was a good tournament for me,” Praggnanandhaa reflected, “but I missed that one chance in Round 2… That win would’ve made the difference.”Despite that, Praggnanandhaa’s consistent brilliance and recent form have now elevated him above even the world champion, a remarkable feat for a player still in his teens.With India’s young guns dominating international chess and pushing each other to new heights, a golden generation may already be here.
