New Delhi: After losing to Magnus Carlsen, a five-time world champion, in the last round of the Chess World Cup 2023 on Thursday, August 24 in Baku, India’s R Praggnanandhaa finished as the tournament’s first runner-up. The third day of the final was a tiebreaker, and Carlsen beat the Indian teen sensation 1.5-0.5.
♟️ FIDE Chess World Cup winners & runner-ups—
2023
Winner: 🇳🇴 Magnus Carlsen
Runner-up: 🇮🇳 Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa
— Maulik_tank (@imauliktank) August 25, 2023
The 18-year-old Indian star, under time pressure, gave up the point in a game when fortunes shifted from one side to the other.
Carlsen won the first game in 45 moves and held white pieces in the second, putting Praggnanandhaa in a very difficult position.
In the tiebreaks, Praggnanandhaa showed his mettle by challenging World Champion Carlsen.
After one and a half hours of play, the two players in the second classical game agreed to a peaceful draw.
After a dramatic first and second-round tie-breaker, World Champion Carlsen defeated Praggnanandhaa in the final. Carlsen used just 45 moves to win the opening game. Praggnanandhaa, having lost the first game of the tie-break, was required to win on demand with the black pieces.
Second place in the FIDE World Cup 2023 netted Praggnanandhaa a massive USD 80,000 (roughly Rs. 66,13,444) in prize money. Carlsen, a Norwegian, wins the World Chess Championship and takes home $110,000 (about Rs. 90,93,551). A whopping $1,834,000 was up for grabs in the FIDE World Cup.
India’s #Praggnanandhaa earned an impressive $80,000 (appx. ₹66,13,444)for finishing second(Runner up) in the FIDE World Cup 2023, while Norway’s #Carlsen claimed $110,000 (appx. ₹90,93,551) for securing the title(Winner).
Praggnanandhaa proud of U.🇮🇳#FIDEWorldCup2023 #chess pic.twitter.com/ijx7jqgDjW— InfoSphereX (@teenagers50) August 24, 2023
Praggnanandhaa is able to advance to the Candidates 2024 competition in Canada because of their strong showing in the World Cup.
After the famous Bobby Fischer and Carlsen, Praggnanandhaa was the third-youngest player to ever qualify for the Candidates event.