Guwahati: Indian chess Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa has won the Grand Chess Tour St. Louis Rapid and Blitz title in the United States on Thursday, finishing the tournament with 23 points from a possible 35.
The 20-year-old secured the championship after drawing against Uzbekistan’s Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov in the penultimate round.
Praggnanandhaa stayed at the top of the standings through the five-day competition. Sindarov mounted a strong challenge towards the end but finished second, 1.5 points behind the Indian grandmaster.
The victory adds to a remarkable year for Praggnanandhaa. In June, he won the Norway Chess 2026 title in Oslo after defeating Germany’s Vincent Keymer in the 10th and final round.
With the St. Louis triumph, Praggnanandhaa continues his strong run on the international chess circuit, further strengthening his position among the world’s leading young players.