In an awe-inspiring moment for Indian chess, young chess sensation Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa garnered commendations from chess maestro Viswanathan Anand. The 18-year-old's remarkable blend of competitiveness, resilience, and astute decision-making have marked him as a standout talent in the chess realm. This comes post Praggnanandhaa's commendable draw against 5-time winner and World No. 1, Magnus Carlsen, in the FIDE Chess World Cup 2023 final's inaugural classical game.
In a candid conversation with India Today, Anand pointed out that Praggnanandhaa's first game could've further pressurized Carlsen, especially with the advantage of white pieces. He also intimated the prospect of a fierce counter-attack from Carlsen in the forthcoming second classical game, where Carlsen would be playing white.
Reflecting on Praggnanandhaa's remarkable journey, Anand stated, "It's a great moment for Indian chess. It's a great moment for Pragg. Just to give you an idea, I have won two World Cups. Pragg will be the first Indian to play in a World Cup final after I played. But by strange coincidence, that's the one gap in Carlsen's tournament record. He has never won a World Cup. He reached the World cup final for the first time. They are both playing for a win for the first time, which is curious." He further illuminated a peculiar coincidence - the World Cup title eluding Carlsen's illustrious career.
Anand, a two-time World Cup winner himself, accentuated Praggnanandhaa's significant triumphs against top players like Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura. He said, ""He is a huge talent. At such a young age, he has shown that he has what it takes to go all the way. He has all the qualities you need, tenacity, ability to keep playing under pressure. He has huge competitive skills as well. He is not only about knowledge, he competes at a very high level as well. People are so excited about him.
"It's a combination of tenacity. He consistently saves difficult positions which means that it's not just enough to get into good positions against him. You have to knock him out. It's a very useful quality because the harder it is for the opponent to knock you out, the more discouraged they become. He has been able to do it against the strongest players. He did that against the No. 2. He was in a difficult spot but one good chance and he went for it. He is able to play against players like Carlsen who put pressure on you during all phases of the game. To be able to absorb that and give it back and keep making good moves is wonderful. It's his composure and It's a combination of good nerves, fitness, and sensible decision-making that is making him play good chess," he added.
The young Grandmaster's inherent talent and strategic prowess were in full display as he bested Fabiano Caruana, the world number three, in the semi-finals, echoing Anand's FIDE World Cup final feat in 2002. This stellar performance has earned Praggnanandhaa a coveted spot in the upcoming Candidates Tournament, poised to determine 2024 World Chess Championship's contender.
As Praggnanandhaa cements his legacy as only the second Indian, after Anand, to grace the Candidates Tournament, the entire nation watches in anticipation, rooting for their new chess prodigy. The young Grandmaster's take on the impending match against Carlsen? "It'll be a fight. He'll definitely push very hard. I'll try to rest and come fresh, I think that's the best I can do."
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