Praggnanandhaa comes from behind, wins Grand Chess Tour 2026
Indian grandmaster Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu won the 2026 Grand Chess Tour Finals after overcoming a significant deficit against Fabiano Caruana. This victory caps a successful 2026 season for the player, who also secured wins at Norway Chess and the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz.
Why it matters
The result highlights the rising dominance of Indian players in the global chess circuit and the increasing competitiveness of the Grand Chess Tour.
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Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu overturned a six-point deficit on the final day to defeat Fabiano Caruana 15-13 and win the 2026 Grand Chess Tour Finals. Caruana had taken control of the match by winning Tuesday's first classical game, while Wednesday's 95-move draw left him ahead 9-3. Pragg then won both rapid games to move into an 11-9 lead before scoring evenly with Caruana across the four blitz encounters to remain ahead on the scoreboard.
The Indian grandmaster, currently ranked eighth in the world , earned $200,000 for first place, while both finalists secured automatic invitations to the 2027 Grand Chess Tour.
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