The Chess World Cup 2023 Final has begun with a thrilling draw between India’s young chess prodigy Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa and the world-renowned Magnus Carlsen. The match was filled with excitement and ended in a draw after 35 moves.
Praggnanandhaa vs Carlsen: A Battle of Wits
Known as “Pragg,” the Indian teen started the game with the white pieces. He looked strong at first but found himself in a tricky position later. Despite the time troubles, the match ended in a tie. Both players will be back for Game 2 .
Praggnanandhaa’s journey to the final has been impressive. He shocked everyone by defeating the World No 3 Fabiano Caruana in the semifinals. He has also become the third youngest player ever to qualify for the Candidates tournament, following the legends Bobby Fischer and Carlsen.
Carlsen didn’t have a smooth time in Baku, the venue for the final, as he revealed after the game that he had food poisoning a couple of days earlier. Yet, the World No 1 held his own against the young challenger.
Battle for the Third Place
In another exciting match of the day, Azerbaijan’s Nijat Abasov defeated Caruana to take the lead in the contest for third place.
Who is R Praggnanandhaa?
The young Indian chess sensation was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and began playing chess inspired by his older sister, Vaishali, who herself is a grandmaster.
Pragg’s journey started at the young age of 6, and he quickly rose through the ranks. He won medals in the under-7 Indian championships and the World Youth Chess Championships for under-8s and under-10s.
At just over 10 years old, Pragg made history by becoming the youngest international chess master ever.
He credits the Bloom Chess Academy with helping him develop his skills and is undoubtedly an inspiration for aspiring chess players everywhere.
The Chess World Cup 2023 has kicked off with an enthralling draw between Praggnanandhaa and Carlsen. As the final continues, fans around the world are eagerly watching to see if the Indian teen can triumph over the reigning champion.
With exciting games still to come, the chess world is set for a thrilling conclusion to this prestigious tournament.
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