The Exquisite Indian Prodigy
The FIDE Chess World Cup, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, was witness to a youngster’s grit and exceptional skills and the emergence of an exquisite Indian talent in the form of R Praggnanandhaa. The excitement was palpable and reminiscent of the great Vishwanathan Anand’s exploits and victory 21 years ago, as Praggnanandhaa knocked out the World no.2 and no.3 and gave the World no. 1 Magnus Carlsen, a good run for his money.
Magnus Carlsen Pushed
Pragg ( as he is fondly called )fell short of the title, but not before pushing Magnus Carlsen into a tie-breaker. Pragg fought bravely, though eventually conceding to Carlsen and settling for the runners-up trophy, basking under rave reviews from the media and also from the greats of the game. His exploits had put him in a select band of players.
A Few Firsts & Qualification for The Candidates Tournament
Pragg became the youngest ever to play the World Cup Final and the third youngest ( the other two being Bobby Fischer and Magnus Carlsen ) to qualify for the Candidates Tournament to be held in Toronto next year, wherein he would be competing with 7 other players. The winner of the Candidates tournament will earn the right to challenge the current World Chess Champion Ling Den. (pls note that the World Cup and the World Chess Championship are two different tournaments).
Robust Praggnanandhaa & Modest Nagalakshmi
Praggnanandhaa drew lots of attention during the World Cup not only due to his exploits but also for a good all-round game and his ability to hold his own defensively against well-entrenched attacking players. However, more than Praggnanandhaa, his mother Nagalakshmi stole the show purely for her candor and modesty, even getting praise from the legendary Gary Kasparov. Nagalakshmi stood as a rock behind her son as the young prodigy cast his web on the Tournament.
A Terrific Team : Nagalakshmi & Pragg
A Tough Journey But Happy Destinations
Years of struggle, sacrifice and hard work for the Homemaker and her Banker husband Rameshbabu was eventually reaping the rewards. Since Vishwanathan Anand inspired a generation of young Chess players in India, the sport has developed incredibly. However, the initial training, travel and expert advice comes at a cost which is not easy to bear. In the case of Praggnanandhaa too, Rameshbabu had to take a loan to fund his son’s initial years till he became a Grandmaster and Sponsors arrived.
A Seminal Success
There is no doubt that the success of Praggnanandhaa will have far-reaching ramifications and further stimulate the progress of Chess in India. His success is seminal indeed. Further, not only Praggnanandhaa, but D Gukesh too has emerged as a player of great repute. With almost 20 Indian players in the top 100 in the world, International Chess is at the cusp of an Indian domination.
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