As Praggnanandhaa And Gukesh Shine, Is India The New Talent-Churning Machine In Chess?

25.08.2023 - 12:47 sports.ndtv.com

With the country producing Grandmasters almost on demand, Anand went so far as to say that the current lot happens to be the golden generation in Indian chess.

Four Indian players -- R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, D Gukesh and Vidit Santosh Gujrathi -- reached the quarterfinal of the FIDE World Cup at Baku in a first for the country in a sport dominated for long by erstwhile Soviet Union and later Russia at various points.

Praggnanandhaa shone through bright, reaching the final of the World Cup, the first Indian after Anand to do so and also secured a place in the Candidates Tournament next year to determine the challenger to current world champion Ding Liren.

chess R Praggnanandhaa as Magnus Carlsen Fabiano Caruana Viswanathan Anand Ding Liren Russia Usa Norway India Soviet Union

The future of India in chess is truly bright. While R Praggnanandhaa went as far as the final of the FIDE Chess World Cup, there remain many other Grandmasters who have really stepped up in the last few years. Praggnanandhaa couldn't go all the way in the final, losing the title decider to World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen. But, he still made history in Indian sports, giving inspiration to many others like him to continue dreaming. After the 18-year-old's defeat in the final, however, a dream of his parents was also fulfilled by industrialist Anand Mahindra.

Grandmaster Koneru Humpy Excited About Young Indian Chess Brigade

She knows what it takes to achieve success at a young age as the world's youngest female GM Koneru Humpy on Wednesday said the recent success of young Indians at the World Cup will take the legacy of Viswanathan Anand forward. R Praggnanandhaa became the youngest player at 18 to be a World Cup runner-up last week. In the course of his campaign, he also sealed his berth in the eight-player Candidates Tournament, which would determine the challenger to world champion Ding Liren, in the chess' ultimate battle in 2024.

R Praggnanandhaa Reacts As Anand Mahindra Fulfils His Parents' "Long Term Dream"

Why R Praggnanandhaa Lost To Magnus Carlsen? Viswanathan Anand Raises 'Fatigue' Argument

Legendary chess player Viswanathan Anand believes that R Praggnanandhaa was 'fatigued' during the Chess World Cup final against Marnus Carlsen and that can be a result behind his defeat. The summit clash went to the Rapid Chess tie-breaker and Carlsen won the first game. The second game ended in a draw but it meant that Praggnanandhaa's brilliant run in the tournament came to an end. Praggnanandhaa finished as runner-up but qualified for the FIDE Candidates tournament thanks to his impressive performances.

As Praggnanandhaa And Gukesh Shine, Is India The New Talent-Churning Machine In Chess?

For a long time, Viswanathan Anand was the lone flag-bearer of Indian chess, taking the world by storm with his exploits. Things have changed in the last decade or so, with numerous talented players emerging on the Indian chess scene, making the country a formidable force in the world. With the country producing Grandmasters almost on demand, Anand went so far as to say that the current lot happens to be the golden generation in Indian chess. Four Indian players -- R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, D Gukesh and Vidit Santosh Gujrathi -- reached the quarterfinal of the FIDE World Cup at Baku in a first for the country in a sport dominated for long by erstwhile Soviet Union and later Russia at various points.

Why R Praggnanandhaa Lost To Magnus Carlsen? Viswanathan Anand Raises 'Fatigue' Argument