2025 has been a remarkable year for India’s R Praggnanandhaa, who has won multiple titles including the Tata Steel Masters, Superbet Chess Classic Romania, UzChess Cup Masters, and London Chess Classic. These achievements have earned him a spot in the Candidates tournament next year, marking his second qualification. Currently ranked No 7 in the world, he also secured second place at the Stepan Avagyan Memorial tournament and the 12th Sinquefield Cup.
Praggnanandhaa attributes his recent successes to increased ambition and the inspiration he draws from contemporaries Gukesh Dommaraju and Arjun Erigiasi. He emphasizes that his results reflect years of hard work and a desire to win tournaments, as he shared during a media interaction at the Global Chess League in Mumbai where he represents the Alpine SG Pipers.
Praggnanandhaa expressed that his ambition to improve stemmed from a disappointing year in 2024 and was further fueled by the achievements of Gukesh, who won the World Chess Championship, and Arjun, who reached a 2800 rating. This inspired him to push himself in critical moments of the year.
Praggnanandhaa acknowledged feeling pressure initially when his peers from India’s golden trio excelled, but now he views their success as a source of inspiration, indicating personal growth and maturity.
Praggnanandhaa attributes his success to incremental improvements that collectively lead to significant results. He emphasized the importance of increasing ambition and confidence during play, focusing on aiming for tournament victories.
Praggnanandhaa, like Gukesh, participated in his first Candidates tournament in Toronto in 2024. Unlike Gukesh, who won and earned a world championship shot, Pragg gained valuable experience from the competitive atmosphere. Reflecting on his growth, he stated, “I’m more experienced. I think I’m stronger than two years back for sure. Since I have won a few top events, I think I believe that I can do it again. That gives me more confidence.”
