Las Vegas [US], July 20:Indian chess prodigy and Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa delivered a remarkable performance at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Las Vegas by defeating world number one Magnus Carlsen in the first game of their semifinal clash. Despite the stunning start, Praggnanandhaa narrowly missed out on a spot in the final after Carlsen made a comeback in the later rounds.
In the opening game of the match, Praggnanandhaa played with the white pieces and outplayed the five-time world champion in just 39 moves. The 19-year-old displayed incredible poise, precision, and tactical strength to claim a 1-0 lead in the match, sending shockwaves through the chess world.
However, Carlsen bounced back strongly in the second game, leveling the match 1-1. The contest then went to a blitz tiebreaker, where the Norwegian legend proved his class by winning both blitz games to seal a 2-0 victory in the tiebreak and book his place in the final.
Praggnanandhaa’s performance, however, was the highlight of the event, especially his dominance in Group A, where he scored three consecutive wins in rounds two to four. His gritty win over Carlsen in the earlier group stage match had already signaled a shift in momentum among the rising stars of Indian chess.
With a rapid time control of 10 minutes plus 10 seconds increment per move, the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam tested creativity and adaptability—qualities that Praggnanandhaa continues to sharpen with each tournament.
Despite the semifinal loss, Praggnanandhaa’s victory over Carlsen underlined his growing reputation as one of the most promising young players in the global chess circuit, and a serious contender for future world titles.
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