R Praggnanandhaa produced a stunning comeback against defending champion Fabiano Caruana to script history as the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour.

The 21-year-old Grandmaster’s triumph was anything but straightforward. Praggnanandhaa entered the final day facing a daunting six-point deficit after the Classical leg, trailing Caruana 3-9. Having lost the opening game and settled for a draw in the second, the Indian star needed a remarkable turnaround to keep his title hopes alive.

And that is exactly what he delivered.

Praggnanandhaa turns the tide

Praggnanandhaa came roaring back in the Rapid leg, winning both games against Caruana and collecting eight points. The sensational double victory completely changed the complexion of the contest, handing him an 11-9 lead heading into the decisive Blitz leg.

The opening Blitz game proved tense, with Praggnanandhaa finding himself in several nervy moments. Caruana, however, failed to make the most of his opportunities and the game ended in a draw.

The defending champion responded immediately in the second Blitz encounter, securing a victory to level the overall score at 12-12.

With everything resting on the final game, Praggnanandhaa once again rose to the occasion.

Playing with the white pieces, he defeated Caruana for the third time in the day, moving 14-12 ahead. The final game eventually ended in a draw after Praggnanandhaa forced a threefold repetition from a completely winning position, but the result was enough to seal the historic championship.

Across their six games, Praggnanandhaa won three, drew two and lost only once. Reflecting on his victory, the Indian Grandmaster admitted that he had not been particularly confident about winning the title.

“It’s difficult. It’s not every day you can get one win against Fabi, but to get two… that was crucial in the Rapid,” he said after the triumph.

“Mainly, what changed from last year is my Rapid and Blitz game. It’s much better now, I think, and that’s a massive improvement in this format.”

From candidates disappointment to Grand Chess tour glory

The title capped a remarkable turnaround for Praggnanandhaa after a disappointing campaign at the second Candidates tournament in Cyprus, where an all-Indian World Championship clash with Gukesh had appeared possible.

He bounced back spectacularly by winning Norway Chess, defeating chess legend Magnus Carlsen twice. He then continued his impressive run in Saint Louis and finished runner-up at the Sinquefield Cup.

“It would have been nice to win the Candidates,” Praggnanandhaa said.

“But winning a tournament like this is still a great achievement. You have to show a lot of character to come out on top in such an event, and I’m happy that I managed to do that and fight till the very end,” he added.

For Praggnanandhaa, the Grand Chess Tour ranks just below the World Championship in terms of prestige.

“Winning this is certainly second only to the World Championship, given the tradition and the stature of the event. The World Championship is obviously at the top, and the Grand Chess Tour is right up there as well, so winning this is amazing,” he said.

“The format is also incredibly tough. You have to prove yourself not just in Classical but also in Rapid and Blitz. I’m happy I was able to do it here.”