The young Indian chess sensation, 18-year-old R Praggnanandhaa, is gearing up to compete against Magnus Carlsen, a five-time world champion, in Baku. Having previously clinched a few victories against Carlsen, all eyes are on Praggnanandhaa to see if he can replicate his past success. On his path to the World Cup championship duel, the teenager secured a win over GM Fabiano Caruana with a 3.5-2.5 score, the victory margin coming from a decisive tiebreak.
Conversely, 32-year-old Carlsen recently relinquished his long-held world champion title, opting out of the championship bout. He cited a dwindling motivation and an unwillingness to endure another grueling tournament campaign.
Delving into praggnanandhaa’s road to the final:
He benefited from a bye during the inaugural round in Baku. In the subsequent round, French competitor Maxime Lagarde, 29, couldn’t withstand Praggnanandhaa’s prowess, leading to a 1.5-0.5 victory for the young Indian Grandmaster. Facing Czech GM David Navara next, Praggnanandhaa continued his impressive run, securing another 1.5-0.5 win.
