CHENNAI: In a chat with Express nearly a year ago, Viswanathan Anand had picked R Praggnanandhaa as one of the most talented players in the country. “He has a bright future. He is talented and is on the right track. People are asking me how to pronounce his name, which is a healthy sign.”
On June 23 — which will now be a red letter day in the annals of Indian chess — the 12-year-old from Chennai lived up to the praise lavished on him by the five-time world champion. He became the second youngest Grandmaster (GM) in the world, in the fourth ad Gredine Open in Ortisei (Italy).
Participating at an event in Paris, Anand was prompt to praise the new kid on the block. “Welcome to the club & congrats Praggnanandhaa!! See you soon in Chennai,” he tweeted.
The 12-year-old ended the tournament on a high, defeating Roeland Pruijssers in the final round to finish first on points with Ivan Saric (7.5 out of 9). However, the youngster had to settle for second on tie-breaker.
Sergey Karjakin holds the record for being the youngest GM at the age of 12 years and seven months. Praggnanandhaa is 12 years, 10 months and 13 days, surpassing Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who took 13 years, 1 month and 11 days to do the same.
Praggnanandhaa’s coach, GM RB Ramesh could not conceal his joy, and was all praise for his ward. “I feel very satisfied and proud of him. I’m very happy that things went well, and that he got his norm and GM title. A lot of hard work and effort has gone into this achievement.”
The Chess Gurukul trainee, R Praggnanandhaa, showed a flair for the game from a very young age. “He has a cool, composed mind, which is important for a chess player.
“He is always looking to improve, and he seldom gives up. He has the hunger to win, and is always keen to fight till the finish,” said Praggnanandhaa’s coach, Grand Master RB Ramesh.
“He is good in the middle and end game. He just needs to work on his openings and time trouble. If he keeps raising the bar and stays focussed, I think he has the potential to be a world champion in 10 years, or even less,” he added.
Praggnanandhaa’s father Ramesh Babu was also elated for his son. “His coach has played a big role in his success. My daughter Vaishali is also a chess player, and she too has helped him grow as a player,” he said. Remaining undefeated, Praggnanandhaa won six games and drew three in Italy to gain 20 rating points from the tournament.
He also had the best performance rating (2,705) in the event. He had earned his first Grand Master norm at the World Junior Championship in 2017 and the second by winning a closed round-robin tournament in Greece this year.
Six wins, three draws
Remaining undefeated, Praggnanandhaa won six games and drew three in Italy to gain 20 rating points from the tournament. He also had the best performance rating (2,705) in the event.
Five youngest Grandmasters
➊ Sergey Karjakin (UKR):
12 years, 7 months
➋ R Praggnanandhaa (IND):
12 years, 10 months, 13 days
➌ Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB): 13 years, 1 month, 11 days
➍ Parimarjan Negi (IND):
13 years, 4 months, 22 days
➎ Magnus Carlsen (NOR):
13 years, 4 months, 27 days