2026 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz Day 5: Praggnanandhaa Wins With Round To Spare
Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu secured his first title at the 2026 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz tournament. He maintained a consistent lead throughout the event, finishing ahead of Javokhir Sindarov to earn $50,000 and valuable Grand Chess Tour points.
Why it matters
This victory marks a significant milestone for the young grandmaster in the competitive international chess circuit.
20 | Chess Event Coverage GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu won his maiden title and $50,000 in the 2026 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz on Thursday. Though GM Javokhir Sindarov came within a half-point of catching him, Praggnanandhaa never let go of the lead in all five days of the event. He won with a round to spare when he held a pawn-down endgame against Sindarov in the penultimate round.
We don't have to wait long for the next event in the Grand Chess Tour. The 2026 Sinquefield Cup , the last event before the 2026 Grand Chess Tour Finals , starts on Monday, August 10 .
Praggnanandhaa ended the tournament with a 1.5-point advantage over Sindarov, his closest trailer.
The Indian grandmaster takes home $50,000 and 13 GCT points for finishing in sole first, without a playoff. It would have been 12 if he hadn't won outright.
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