Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz: Praggnanandhaa secures rapid section lead
Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa concluded the rapid section of the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz in the top position, accumulating 12 points over the initial three days. Despite a loss to Jorden van Foreest in the ninth and final rapid round, he maintained a one-point lead over Javokhir Sindarov. Wesley So finished a further point behind.
The Indian grandmaster delivered a strong performance during the rapid phase, achieving four wins, four draws, and one defeat. This performance also propelled him into the top ten of the live rapid world rankings for the first time in his career. His live Rapid rating reached a career-high of 2714.5, securing his place in the FIDE Live Rapid Ratings World Top 10. This achievement means India now has three Grandmasters in the Rapid Top 10, alongside Viswanathan Anand and Arjun Erigaisi.
The scoring system for the upcoming blitz section will differ, with victories being awarded one point instead of two points.
Key Matches and Performances
In round seven, two players recorded their first victories of the tournament. Fabiano Caruana defeated Awonder Liang by focusing on the vulnerable e5-pawn, which brought the world number-two back to an even score. Vincent Keymer also broke a sequence of six consecutive draws by beating Van Foreest. Their game concluded with a blunder from the Dutch grandmaster in the endgame. Keymer’s win temporarily placed him within two points of the leader, though both he and Caruana were defeated in the subsequent round.
Round eight featured three decisive games. Praggnanandhaa overcame Keymer in a complex match that involved connected passed pawns for both players. Although the tournament leader held an extra exchange, the position became increasingly unclear, and Keymer had defensive opportunities before losing control. Sindarov remained close to the lead by defeating Liang, exploiting a collection of isolated pawns after Black weakened the kingside structure. Liang later sacrificed his h-pawn to alleviate pressure, but his remaining pawns continued to be targets. So also stayed near the leader with a victory over Caruana.
Final Rapid Round and Tournament Outlook
Only one game in round nine was decisive. Van Foreest defeated the tournament leader, Praggnanandhaa, using a prepared idea in the French Defence, marking Pragg’s first loss of the tournament. The Dutchman had also previously beaten So in the rapid section, though he finished significantly behind the leading group.
Caruana missed an opportunity to defeat Anish Giri in the final round, resulting in a draw. Giri and Leinier Dominguez completed all nine rapid games without a decisive outcome, each recording nine draws.
The Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz event is part of the Grand Chess Tour and takes place at the Saint Louis Chess Club. The tournament features ten elite grandmasters, including Fabiano Caruana, Javokhir Sindarov, Vincent Keymer, Wesley So, Anish Giri, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, and Jorden van Foreest as full-tour players. Wildcards for the event include Leinier Dominguez, Levon Aronian, and Awonder Liang. The event, held from July 31 to August 7, includes nine rapid rounds and eighteen blitz rounds, totaling 135 games. The total prize fund for the event is $200,000, with $50,000 allocated for first place. Full-tour players also compete for Tour Points, which are crucial for qualification to the 2026 GCT Grand Finals.
Praggnanandhaa enters the blitz portion with a narrow lead, while Sindarov and So remain within immediate reach. With 18 blitz rounds still to be played and each result carrying less weight than in the rapid section, the gaps at the top are manageable.
Tournament Format and Schedule
The tournament combines two fast-paced disciplines. The rapid tournament consists of 9 rounds in a single round-robin format, with a time control of 25 minutes plus a 10-second increment from move one. Rapid wins are worth 2 points, and draws are worth 1 point. The blitz tournament, on the other hand, is an 18-round double round-robin, played at 5 minutes plus a 2-second increment from move one. In the blitz section, wins count for 1 point, and draws for ½ point.
The Saint Louis Chess Club, known as the “Chess Capital of the United States,” hosts the event. It is a non-profit educational organization and serves as the venue for major U.S. Championship events, the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, the Sinquefield Cup, and the Cairns Cup. The tournament commenced on July 31.
Source: en.chessbase.com
