Praggnanandhaa Defeats Mentor Anand in Historic Chess Clash

A momentous chess match unfolded in London during the WR Masters quarter-finals as the young chess prodigy Praggnanandhaa faced his mentor, legendary grandmaster Viswanathan Anand. The match marked the first classical face-off between the two grandmasters since their initial meeting at the Tata Steel Chess India blitz in 2018 when Praggnanandhaa was only 13 years old.

Back in 2018, the chess world witnessed Praggnanandhaa, then a budding grandmaster, compete against the seasoned five-time world champion, Viswanathan Anand, in a thrilling match that has since become one of the most-watched chess clips on YouTube. At the time, Praggnanandhaa had recently achieved grandmaster status at the age of 12 years, 10 months, and 13 days, making him the second-youngest grandmaster then until Javokhir Sindarov took second place a few months later.

Fast forward to the present, and the match in London saw the Indian chess stalwarts battle it out over two classical games, both ending in draws. Anand, now a deputy president at FIDE, managed to pose significant threats in the first game with the Black pieces, but the 19-year-old Praggnanandhaa demonstrated remarkable resilience. In the second game, Anand played defensively, leading the match to Armageddon.

In the decisive Armageddon game, Praggnanandhaa, with 10 minutes on the clock and the White pieces, employed the Scotch opening against Anand’s Black pieces, who only had just over six minutes. The intention was to quickly establish a strong position, which Praggnanandhaa succeeded in achieving, gaining a dominant hold over the board with his strategically placed rook and bishop. Suppressing Anand’s counterplay effectively, Praggnanandhaa clinched the victory after 26 moves, leading Anand to resign gracefully.

The triumph over Anand represents a symbolic passing of the torch in Indian chess. The elevation of players like Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh, and Arjun Erigaisi to the world’s top rankings signifies a new era. Anand’s legacy endures through his mentorship, contributing to India’s notable presence on the global chess stage.

Indian chess has witnessed substantial growth, with the country’s number of grandmasters rising from 54 to 85 over the past six years. Notably, Arjun Erigaisi is inching towards achieving a historic live rating of 2800, which would position him among the elite few in chess history. Also, Indians like Praggnanandhaa are set to compete for the World Championship title, a historic opportunity for Indian players beyond Anand.