Praggnanandhaa's Rise to Top Junior Sparks Witty Reaction from Giri

Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri, known for his sharp wit, stirred the chess community with a playful reaction to R Praggnanandhaa's ascent to the World No. 1 junior ranking.

R Praggnanandhaa and Anish Giri (Agency Photos)

"Chess juniors nowadays have to be at least U16, keeping track of U20 players is totally pointless," quipped Giri, currently ranked world no. 10 with a live rating of 2748.0. His comment subtly acknowledged the exceptional talent of young players who are already making waves in the senior chess world.

The remark followed Praggnanandhaa's impressive victory at the UzChess Cup Masters 2025 in Uzbekistan. This win boosted the 19-year-old's live rating to 2778.3, positioning him as World No. 4 overall and surpassing all other Indian players to become India's top-rated chess player.

Praggnanandhaa's journey to victory was filled with suspense. He began the final day trailing Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Javokhir Sindarov but secured a critical win against Abdusattorov in the last classical round, creating a three-way tie.

Displaying remarkable composure, Praggnanandhaa prevailed in the blitz tiebreaks, clinching the tournament in the second set of rapid games. This victory marked his third major classical title of the year.

Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand praised the young player's resilience, stating, "This win seemed the least likely with just two rounds to go… An impressive demonstration of character."

This UzChess Cup triumph adds to Praggnanandhaa's impressive 2025 achievements, including victories at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament and the Superbet Classic in Romania. He also recently secured second place at the Stepan Avagyan Memorial.

While Giri's remark may have been tongue-in-cheek, Praggnanandhaa's recent performances underscore a significant trend: the future of chess is emerging now, and India is at the forefront.