How Pragg Went From a Quiet Year in 2024 to a Historic Title

A packed schedule gave the 19-year-old little chance to course correct and he will look to change in 2025

- Susan Ninan

BENGALURU: In a year in which Gukesh became world champion and Arjun Erigaisi made an astounding climb up the world rankings, one Indian name that wasn't heard as much was Praggnanandhaa. He defeated Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana at Norway Chess in the first half of the year, but as the months passed, his compatriots outshone him with extraordinary performances.

On Sunday, in a Dutch village on the North Sea coast, Praggnanandhaa flicked away a quiet year with a hell-raising performance.

He defeated reigning world champion and fellow Indian Gukesh in a dramatic tiebreak to become only the second player from India, after Viswanathan Anand, to win the Tata Steel Masters title in Wijk Aan Zee. The tournament, steeped in tradition, dates back to 1938, with Mikhail Tal, Mikhail Botvinnik, Garry Kasparov, and Magnus Carlsen among its past winners. Praggnanandhaa will now join these greats on the hallowed Wijk Aan Zee Wall of Fame – a wall he would gaze at on every trip to the tournament.

"When I came here, I wanted to win the event, but the field was very strong," the 19-year-old said after close to eight hours of play on Sunday. He has Arjun to thank for taking down Gukesh, his co-leader, in Round 13. "I should buy Arjun something." Praggnanandhaa laughed.