New Delhi: Indian grandmaster Praggnanandhaa R has completed a breakthrough year by winning the FIDE Circuit 2025 and securing a coveted berth in the 2026 Candidates Tournament. His consistently strong performances across major international events ensured he finished the season at the top of the standings, marking another milestone in his fast-rising career.
The 20-year-old delivered a series of standout results through the year, including title wins at the Tata Steel Masters, Superbet Chess Classic Romania, UzChess Cup Masters and the London Chess Classic Open. He also claimed a runner-up finish at the Stepan Avagyan Memorial and placed 12th at the Sinquefield Cup, adding crucial points to his circuit tally. His steady momentum allowed him to overtake Ding Liren in May and maintain his lead through the rest of the season.
Praggnanandhaa shared his excitement on social media, thanking his coaches, family and supporters for their role in his journey. He noted that earning his place in the Candidates is a major step forward and reaffirmed his commitment to continued hard work.
By late November, several of his closest rivals had already qualified for the 2026 Candidates through alternative routes, which limited their presence in remaining circuit events. Vincent Keymer, another contender, had no more classical tournaments scheduled, leaving only Nodirbek Abdusattorov with a theoretical chance of overtaking the Indian grandmaster.
Abdusattorov delivered a phenomenal performance at the London Chess Classic Elite, producing one of the most impressive tournament rating performances in history and collecting 19.62 circuit points. Despite this surge, he could not close the gap, allowing Praggnanandhaa to retain his position at the top and confirm his qualification.
He will now join an exceptionally strong eight-player field at the 2026 Candidates Tournament, featuring Javokhir Sindarov, Wei Yi, Andrey Esipenko, Fabiano Caruana, Anish Giri, Matthias Blubaum and Hikaru Nakamura. His qualification marks another significant chapter in Indian chess and reinforces his status as one of the sport’s brightest young stars.
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