Chess: Praggnanandhaa stuns Magnus Carlsen to reach Las Vegas quarter-final
What's the story
Indian chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa stunned five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen at the ongoing Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Las Vegas. The 19-year-old Grandmaster defeated the Norwegian legend in a mere 39 moves, marking a major milestone in his career. Notably, Praggnanandhaa reached the quarter-final in Las Vegas. In Freestyle Chess, pieces are randomly placed at the start of the game.
Match analysis
Match details and stats
The match saw Praggnanandhaa, playing with white pieces, rule the roost. In this match of 10 minutes + 10 seconds increments, he defeated the five-time world champion with confidence and balance. This win helped the Indian star not only reach the quarter-final but top Group White. Notably, Praggnanandhaa has now defeated Carlsen in all three formats - classical, rapid and blitz.
Post-match reflections
'I like freestyle more than classical right now': Praggnanandhaa
After the match, Praggnanandhaa said, "I like Freestyle more than Classical right now," reflecting his maturity and fearlessness in the face of a five-time world champion. Notably, the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, a series of Chess960 tournaments, was co-founded by Carlsen and German investor Jan Henric Buettne. The tour comprises five Grand Slam tournaments, with Las Vegas leg being the fourth.
Championship progression
Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi make it to the championship bracket
As mentioned, Praggnanandhaa topped Group White with 4.5 points. He shares the spot with Javokhir Sindarov and Nodirbek Abdusattorov but is ahead on tiebreaks. Meanwhile, fellow Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi also made it to the quarter-final from Group Black. However, Vidit Gujrathi was eliminated early after finishing last in the same group.