Magnus Carlsen ranked the world's number one chess player, secured his first World Cup victory by triumphing over India's child prodigy and emerging talent R Praggnanandhaa in a series of tie-breakers in Baku today.
The Game
As anticipated, the competition was closely fought, with Praggnanandhaa ultimately falling to Carlsen in the tie-breaker round, leading to the Norwegian player's first World Cup win.
Carlsen claimed victory in the initial tie-breaker match, placing the Indian teenager in a must-win situation during the second match due to time constraints. Despite the pressure, Praggnanandhaa chose to settle for a draw in the second game, securing Magnus a triumphant outcome in the intense championship duel.
Meanwhile, Fabiano Caruana secured third place by defeating Nijat Abasov.
It's important to note that Praggnanandhaa is the only other Indian Player to reach the Candidates Tournament, a feat shared only with Viswanathan Anand from his country. Before departing, Carlsen engaged in a brief discussion about the board with Praggnanandhaa.
The Semis
Earlier this week, on Monday, Praggnanandhaa defeated the 31-year-old US Grandmaster, Fabiano Caruana, in a tie-breaker in the tournament's semi-finals. This victory propelled Pragg into the finals of the World Chess Championship.
Congratulations Pour In
The International Chess Federation on social media platform 'X' (formerly Twitter) wrote, 'Congratulations to the 18-year-old Indian prodigy on an impressive tournament! On his way to the final, Praggnanandhaa beat, among others, world #2 Hikaru Nakamura and #3 Fabiano Caruana! By winning the silver medal, Praggnanandhaa also secured a ticket to the FIDE Candidates."
Indian Grandmaster Vishwanthan Anand took to 'X' and praised him for his game and congratulated Carlsen for a magnificent game.
Several politicians also congratulated the young chess player for making the country proud. Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal, said, 'You moved mountains with your efforts and won the hearts of an entire nation.'
Suggested Reading: Meet R Praggnanandhaa, Chess Progidy Heading to World Cup Finals
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