Setting up a blockbuster clash with World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in the FIDE World Cup 2023 on Monday, Indian Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa registered a memorable win over USA’s Fabiano Caruana in tiebreaks of the action-packed semi-final encounter. Praggnanandhaa outclassed Caruana by winning the semi-final 3.5-2.5 in Baku, Azerbaijan. With the epoch-making triumph over Caruana, Praggnanandhaa has also sealed his spot in the Candidates 2024.
Praggnanandhaa stunned the World No.3 Caruana after the two-game classical series ended 1-1 in Baku. Praggnanandhaa emerged victorious following an entertaining tie-breaker. The Indian Grandmaster earned plaudits from chess legend Viswanathan Anand, who had nothing but praise for the 18-year-old Indian prodigy on Twitter. “Pragg goes through to the final! He beats Fabiano Caruana in the tiebreak and will face Magnus Carlsen now. What a performance!,” the chess legend said.
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The teenage Grandmaster ended the second game of the FIDE World Cup semi-final encounter level-pegging on Sunday as the penultimate clash of the showpiece event went into a tie-break for a winner. India’s Praggnanandhaa and World No.3 Caruana had ended Sunday’s tied match in 47 moves. Earlier, Praggnanandhaa had equalled the feat which was first achieved by Indian chess icon – Anand. Praggnanandhaa had become the second Indian chess player to enter the semi-finals of the World Cup.
Third youngest player to qualify for Candidates
After the World Cup, Praggnanandhaa is set to headline the Candidates event next year. The 2024 showpiece event will determine the challenger for the reigning World Chess Champion – Ding Liren. Carlsen, who is set to meet the Indian Grandmaster in the FIDE World Cup 2023 final, had won the first game against Azerbaijan player Nijat Abasov on Saturday. After winning the opener, Carlsen settled for a draw in 74 moves to become the first finalist of the FIDE World Cup 2023 in Baku. In the women’s final, Aleksandra Goryachkina managed to upstage 20-year-old Bulgarian Nurgyul Salimova by winning the second 25-minute rapid game.
‘Didn’t expect to play Magnus’
Praggnanandhaa is the third youngest player after legendary Bobby Fischer and current World No.1 Carlsen to qualify for the Candidates tournament. “I didn’t expect to play Magnus in this tournament at all because the only way I could play him was in the final, and I didn’t expect to be in the final. I will just try to give my best and see how it goes!,” Praggnanandhaa was quoted as saying by PTI. “It feels really good to qualify for the Candidates; I really wanted to fix this spot,” he added.
