Praggnanandhaa Stuns Carlsen Again in Superbet Rapid and Blitz Chess Tournament

In a captivating turn of events at the ongoing Superbet rapid and blitz chess tournament, India’s R. Praggnanandhaa once again emerged victorious against world number one Magnus Carlsen of Norway. While Wei Yi of China leads the tournament with a notable 2.5-point advantage, Praggnanandhaa’s triumph over Carlsen has been a highlight of the event.

Despite Wei Yi’s remarkable score of 20.5 points and seven wins on the first day, it is Praggnanandhaa’s unexpected victories over Carlsen that have captured attention. Currently trailing behind the leaders with 14.5 points, Praggnanandhaa’s performance adds an exciting dynamic to the title race, primarily contested between Wei Yi and Carlsen.

Among other notable performances, Arjun Erigaisi holds the fourth position with 14 points, closely followed by Duda Jan-Krzysztof of Poland with 13 points. Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan ranks sixth with 12.5 points, while Vincent Keymer of Germany and early leader Kirill Shevchenko of Romania secure the seventh and eighth places respectively.

Anish Giri of Holland occupies the ninth spot with 10.5 points, while D. Gukesh, the world championship challenger, finds himself at the bottom with 9.5 points in the USD 1,75,000 prize money tournament.

Carlsen admitted to facing challenges after his second-round loss against Praggnanandhaa, leading to subsequent losses, including one against Abdusattorov despite a promising position.

Wei Yi’s journey, although starting with a loss against Gukesh, saw a swift recovery with seven wins, conceding only one draw to Carlsen.