Pragg-matic and fearless from all quarters at the World Cup

RAMESHBABU Praggnanandhaa is no stranger to astonishing feats. Seven years ago, he burst onto the scene as a 10-year-old, becoming the youngest International Master the world had ever seen.

- VISHNU PRASAD

A couple of years later, he became the youngest Indian at the time to become a GM. At 13, none other than Viswanathan Anand called him the real deal. And now, he has become the first Indian after Anand to reach the semifinals of the FIDE World Cup.

It took some time and a lot of twists and turns, but Praggnanandhaa beat his best friend Arjun Erigaisi in a quarterfinal tiebreak that went to seven games. The two had taken their quarterfinal to tiebreak on Wednesday, after winning one apiece. On Thursday, after the first two games of 25 minutes and ten second increments ended in draws, Praggnanandhaa and Arjun traded wins in the next two sets of two games each. Astonishingly, Praggnanandhaa won the final Blitz game after losing 30 seconds of his total three minutes on the clock, due to arriving late at the board.