Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa completed a stunning comeback against Fabiano Caruana to win the final, secure his maiden Grand Chess Tour Finals title in St. Louis and take home the $200,000 winner’s prize. According to Chess.com, Praggnanandhaa created history by becoming the first Indian player to win the Grand Chess Tour.&nbsp;Praggnanandhaa started the day six points behind Caruana but quickly shifted the momentum, winning both rapid games to move ahead before drawing all four blitz games. This helped him seal the title with a 15-13 overall victory.&nbsp;In the opening blitz game, Praggnanandhaa had a strong chance to win but made a mistake during a tense time scramble. His position then became difficult, but Caruana could not take advantage and the game ended in a draw.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/women-s-t20-asia-cup-2026-all-you-need-to-know-about-schedule-squads-venues-and-more-1787902782263">Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026: All you need to know about schedule, squads and more</a>&nbsp;In the third-place playoff, Wesley So also produced a strong comeback against Vincent Keymer. The players shared the two rapid games, but So took control in the blitz section, winning all four games. He sealed an 18-12 victory with a game to spare.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-2026-27-draw-psg-barcelona-set-for-blockbuster-clash-man-utd-face-bayern-1787855264179">Champions League 2026-27 draw: PSG face Barcelona, Man Utd take on Bayern</a>&nbsp;Earlier on Wednesday, Praggnanandhaa had drawn his second classical game against Caruana. However, Caruana still held a six-point advantage going into the final day.&nbsp;The young Indian had suffered a heavy 6-0 defeat in the first classical game but bounced back to draw the second game 3-3.&nbsp;With inputs from agencies

R Praggnanandhaa scripted history with a stunning comeback victory over Fabiano Caruana, becoming the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour. The landmark triumph adds another highlight to his impressive 2026 campaign.

Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa completed a stunning comeback against Fabiano Caruana to win the final, secure his maiden Grand Chess Tour Finals title in St. Louis and take home the $200,000 winner’s prize. According to Chess.com, Praggnanandhaa created history by becoming the first Indian player to win the Grand Chess Tour. Praggnanandhaa started the day six points behind Caruana but quickly shifted the momentum, winning both rapid games to move ahead before drawing all four blitz games. This helped him seal the title with a 15-13 overall victory. In the opening blitz game, Praggnanandhaa had a strong chance to win but made a mistake during a tense time scramble. His position then became difficult, but Caruana could not take advantage and the game ended in a draw. Also Read - Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026: All you need to know about schedule, squads and more In the third-place playoff, Wesley So also produced a strong comeback against Vincent Keymer. The players shared the two rapid games, but So took control in the blitz section, winning all four games. He sealed an 18-12 victory with a game to spare. Also Read - Champions League 2026-27 draw: PSG face Barcelona, Man Utd take on Bayern Earlier on Wednesday, Praggnanandhaa had drawn his second classical game against Caruana. However, Caruana still held a six-point advantage going into the final day. The young Indian had suffered a heavy 6-0 defeat in the first classical game but bounced back to draw the second game 3-3. With inputs from agencies

R Praggnanandhaa scripted history with a stunning comeback victory over Fabiano Caruana, becoming the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour. The landmark triumph adds another highlight to his impressive 2026 campaign.

Praggnanandhaa scripts historic win, lifts maiden Grand Chess Tour Finals title

World champion D. Gukesh ended the rapid section of the Super Rapid and Blitz Tournament on a positive note, defeating American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana in the ninth and final round to finish tied for fourth place. The strong finish marked an encouraging return to form for the 19-year-old Indian after a difficult few months. With the blitz segment still to come, Gukesh remains in contention alongside several top players. He is currently tied for fourth place on nine points, with 18 blitz rounds remaining in the tournament.&nbsp;Gukesh’s final day in the rapid competition began on a disappointing note as he lost to French Grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. However, he recovered with a draw against Slovenia’s Vladimir Fedoseev before securing an important victory over Caruana in the last round.&nbsp;Meanwhile, American wildcard entrant Hans Moke Niemann emerged as the surprise winner of the rapid section with 13 points. Niemann finished one point ahead of compatriot Wesley So, while Fedoseev claimed third place with 11 points.&nbsp;Reflecting on his performance, Gukesh admitted that his campaign had been uneven. Speaking to the Saint Louis Chess Club, he said “My rapid event was inconsistent. I was playing well, but I missed a few chances. There were also games where I was in trouble and managed to save. The tournament could have been better.”&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/-pressure-is-always-there-krunal-pandya-reflects-on-rcb-s-challenge-as-ipl-defending-champions-1778237365143">'Pressure is always there': Krunal Pandya reflects on RCB’s challenge as IPL defending champions</a>&nbsp;Gukesh now shares fourth place with Caruana and Polish Grandmaster Jan-Krzysztof Duda, setting up an intense contest heading into the blitz section. Speaking about his approach, Gukesh joked that blitz chess is all about "play fast and pray,” adding that this would be his strategy.&nbsp;In the important game against Caruana, the American, playing black, opted for the Benoni Defence and gained an extra pawn during the early middlegame. Gukesh, however, generated strong counterplay on the queenside to stay in the contest.&nbsp;&nbsp;The turning point came on move 38, when Caruana overlooked a tactical idea that allowed Gukesh to exchange a bishop for a rook and seize the advantage. Gukesh converted the position confidently and wrapped up the win 11 moves later.<h2>Round 9 results</h2><ul><li>Gukesh defeated Caruana</li><li>Radoslaw Wojtaszek drew with Niemann</li><li>Fedoseev beat Vachier-Lagrave</li><li>Javokhir Sindarov drew with Alireza Firouzja</li><li>Duda Jan-Krzystzof drew with Wesley SO</li></ul>

World champion D Gukesh defeated American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana in the final round of the rapid section to finish tied for fourth place at the Super Rapid and Blitz Tournament.

World champion D. Gukesh ended the rapid section of the Super Rapid and Blitz Tournament on a positive note, defeating American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana in the ninth and final round to finish tied for fourth place. The strong finish marked an encouraging return to form for the 19-year-old Indian after a difficult few months. With the blitz segment still to come, Gukesh remains in contention alongside several top players. He is currently tied for fourth place on nine points, with 18 blitz rounds remaining in the tournament. Gukesh’s final day in the rapid competition began on a disappointing note as he lost to French Grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. However, he recovered with a draw against Slovenia’s Vladimir Fedoseev before securing an important victory over Caruana in the last round. Meanwhile, American wildcard entrant Hans Moke Niemann emerged as the surprise winner of the rapid section with 13 points. Niemann finished one point ahead of compatriot Wesley So, while Fedoseev claimed third place with 11 points. Reflecting on his performance, Gukesh admitted that his campaign had been uneven. Speaking to the Saint Louis Chess Club, he said “My rapid event was inconsistent. I was playing well, but I missed a few chances. There were also games where I was in trouble and managed to save. The tournament could have been better.” Also Read - 'Pressure is always there': Krunal Pandya reflects on RCB’s challenge as IPL defending champions Gukesh now shares fourth place with Caruana and Polish Grandmaster Jan-Krzysztof Duda, setting up an intense contest heading into the blitz section. Speaking about his approach, Gukesh joked that blitz chess is all about "play fast and pray,” adding that this would be his strategy. In the important game against Caruana, the American, playing black, opted for the Benoni Defence and gained an extra pawn during the early middlegame. Gukesh, however, generated strong counterplay on the queenside to stay in the contest. The turning point came on move 38, when Caruana overlooked a tactical idea that allowed Gukesh to exchange a bishop for a rook and seize the advantage. Gukesh converted the position confidently and wrapped up the win 11 moves later. Round 9 results Gukesh defeated Caruana Radoslaw Wojtaszek drew with Niemann Fedoseev beat Vachier-Lagrave Javokhir Sindarov drew with Alireza Firouzja Duda Jan-Krzystzof drew with Wesley SO

World champion D Gukesh defeated American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana in the final round of the rapid section to finish tied for fourth place at the Super Rapid and Blitz Tournament.

Super Rapid and Blitz: Gukesh defeats Caruana in final round of Rapid event

In a league defined by speed, spectacle, and a generation of fearless young minds, Fabiano Caruana moves with a kind of stillness that borders on cinematic. His eyes, focused, unhurried, almost monk-like, scan the board with the quiet authority of someone who has fought too many battles to be bothered by the noise around him. There’s a strange paradox to watching him: He looks calm enough to be sculpted, yet sharp enough to cut through the tension of a match with one precise move.&nbsp;This duality, the stillness outside, the storm inside, is exactly what the Alpine SG Pipers have leaned on through a season filled with tight finishes, brave comebacks, and pressure-cooker moments. At no. 3 on the leaderboard with 70 points and an even 4–4 record, the Pipers are a team that embodies balance. And at the heart of that balance stands Caruana, steady, introspective, exacting.&nbsp;But beyond the myth of precision, beyond the legend of accuracy, Caruana is remarkably human. Thoughtful. Funny in a dry way. Disarmingly open about regrets, doubts, mistakes, and the strange chaos of professional chess. And that is what makes this profile not just about a chess player, but about a man trying to stay human in a world that demands machine-like perfection.&nbsp;For years, fans and analysts have worshipped Caruana’s “engine-like accuracy,” the clean, clinical sequences that make even top grandmasters uncomfortable. Ask him about it, though, and he shrugs: “Maybe it’s a bit of a myth… I’ve had stretches where I play very high accuracy, and stretches where I lose the thread.” It’s the honesty that surprises you. Caruana isn’t selling perfection; he’s explaining survival.&nbsp;And in the modern era, where rapid and blitz dominate screens, formats are reinvented on the fly, and players are forced to adapt at warp speed, survival requires more than skill. It requires flexibility. “Most events I play now aren’t classical. However, the most important ones are still so. That’s where chess really breathes.”&nbsp;He says this with the slightest emphasis, like someone defending an endangered language. Because the game is changing fast. The pandemic boom, the rise of online broadcasts, the irresistible surge of Indian prodigies, and the spread of freestyle chess today are louder and faster than ever. And Caruana sees the beauty in that. But he also sees what is at stake.&nbsp;He is from a generation where deep preparation mattered more than viral moments, where long silence around a classical board was the stage itself. And yet he is adapting, studying relentlessly, updating lines daily, absorbing theory with the urgency of someone who knows the young guns are coming hard.&nbsp;“They have unlimited motivation, unlimited energy and with today’s tools, they learn everything fast.” You can hear the respect in his voice. Not fear. Respect.&nbsp;He knows the landscape has changed, but he also knows he is built for the long fight. Chess, for him, is not just a game of moves; it’s a game of rhythm, regret, redemption, and resilience. Nothing captures that better than his reflection on the moment he wishes he could replay: “Game eight against Magnus… one move, h3. If I had played differently, that might have been my closest chance at the title.”&nbsp;The way he says it, not bitterly, not wistfully, just truthfully, reveals everything about his character. He remembers the pain, but he doesn’t live in it.&nbsp;He learns from it. “You learn most from your own mistakes… those patterns tend to happen to you.” In that one quote lies the biography of a champion.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-leonard-hutton-to-don-bradman-5-batters-with-highest-individual-score-in-ashes-bob-simpson-bob-cowper-ashes-2025-26-1762276944046">From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes</a><h2>Fabiano on SG Pipers team</h2>Team environments are strange in chess. Your teammate today is your opponent in the Candidates tomorrow. Your friend in analysis is your rival in preparation. And yet, Caruana lights up when speaking about the Alpine SG Pipers' room. “The chemistry has been really good. Everyone is nice. I’ve known Anish and Hou Yifan for years.” What stands out here is not familiarity, it’s curiosity. He speaks with particular warmth about getting to know the players he hadn’t interacted with off the board: “I knew Pragg's chess well, but not him personally. And Nino and Leon, really nice people.”&nbsp;But beneath the smiles and camaraderie, there is a quiet professionalism. “We can’t share all our knowledge, of course. We have to keep some secrets.” He says this with a laugh, but the truth sits underneath: Every player in that room is chasing something enormous.Caruana’s own next mountain is clear: “The Candidates is the major goal. If I win it, the whole year changes.” The way he frames it, not if he can win it, but if he wins it, reveals a confidence that is cold, calm, and earned.&nbsp;And even as he speaks about representing the US in the Olympiad, chasing that elusive gold after India’s dominance, his tone retains the same composure: realistic, grounded, determined. This is what the Pipers get from him, a presence that stabilises, a mind that simplifies chaos, a temperament that doesn’t flinch when the board burns.

In an exclusive conversation with WION, Fabiano Caruana opens up on precision, pressure, and Alpine SG Pipers’ 2025 campaign in the Global Chess League, balancing evolution, teamwork, and the road to the 2026 Candidates

In a league defined by speed, spectacle, and a generation of fearless young minds, Fabiano Caruana moves with a kind of stillness that borders on cinematic. His eyes, focused, unhurried, almost monk-like, scan the board with the quiet authority of someone who has fought too many battles to be bothered by the noise around him. There’s a strange paradox to watching him: He looks calm enough to be sculpted, yet sharp enough to cut through the tension of a match with one precise move. This duality, the stillness outside, the storm inside, is exactly what the Alpine SG Pipers have leaned on through a season filled with tight finishes, brave comebacks, and pressure-cooker moments. At no. 3 on the leaderboard with 70 points and an even 4–4 record, the Pipers are a team that embodies balance. And at the heart of that balance stands Caruana, steady, introspective, exacting. But beyond the myth of precision, beyond the legend of accuracy, Caruana is remarkably human. Thoughtful. Funny in a dry way. Disarmingly open about regrets, doubts, mistakes, and the strange chaos of professional chess. And that is what makes this profile not just about a chess player, but about a man trying to stay human in a world that demands machine-like perfection. For years, fans and analysts have worshipped Caruana’s “engine-like accuracy,” the clean, clinical sequences that make even top grandmasters uncomfortable. Ask him about it, though, and he shrugs: “Maybe it’s a bit of a myth… I’ve had stretches where I play very high accuracy, and stretches where I lose the thread.” It’s the honesty that surprises you. Caruana isn’t selling perfection; he’s explaining survival. And in the modern era, where rapid and blitz dominate screens, formats are reinvented on the fly, and players are forced to adapt at warp speed, survival requires more than skill. It requires flexibility. “Most events I play now aren’t classical. However, the most important ones are still so. That’s where chess really breathes.” He says this with the slightest emphasis, like someone defending an endangered language. Because the game is changing fast. The pandemic boom, the rise of online broadcasts, the irresistible surge of Indian prodigies, and the spread of freestyle chess today are louder and faster than ever. And Caruana sees the beauty in that. But he also sees what is at stake. He is from a generation where deep preparation mattered more than viral moments, where long silence around a classical board was the stage itself. And yet he is adapting, studying relentlessly, updating lines daily, absorbing theory with the urgency of someone who knows the young guns are coming hard. “They have unlimited motivation, unlimited energy and with today’s tools, they learn everything fast.” You can hear the respect in his voice. Not fear. Respect. He knows the landscape has changed, but he also knows he is built for the long fight. Chess, for him, is not just a game of moves; it’s a game of rhythm, regret, redemption, and resilience. Nothing captures that better than his reflection on the moment he wishes he could replay: “Game eight against Magnus… one move, h3. If I had played differently, that might have been my closest chance at the title.” The way he says it, not bitterly, not wistfully, just truthfully, reveals everything about his character. He remembers the pain, but he doesn’t live in it. He learns from it. “You learn most from your own mistakes… those patterns tend to happen to you.” In that one quote lies the biography of a champion. ALSO READ | From Leonard Hutton to Don Bradman, 5 batters with highest individual score in Ashes Fabiano on SG Pipers team Team environments are strange in chess. Your teammate today is your opponent in the Candidates tomorrow. Your friend in analysis is your rival in preparation. And yet, Caruana lights up when speaking about the Alpine SG Pipers' room. “The chemistry has been really good. Everyone is nice. I’ve known Anish and Hou Yifan for years.” What stands out here is not familiarity, it’s curiosity. He speaks with particular warmth about getting to know the players he hadn’t interacted with off the board: “I knew Pragg's chess well, but not him personally. And Nino and Leon, really nice people.” But beneath the smiles and camaraderie, there is a quiet professionalism. “We can’t share all our knowledge, of course. We have to keep some secrets.” He says this with a laugh, but the truth sits underneath: Every player in that room is chasing something enormous. Caruana’s own next mountain is clear: “The Candidates is the major goal. If I win it, the whole year changes.” The way he frames it, not if he can win it, but if he wins it, reveals a confidence that is cold, calm, and earned. And even as he speaks about representing the US in the Olympiad, chasing that elusive gold after India’s dominance, his tone retains the same composure: realistic, grounded, determined. This is what the Pipers get from him, a presence that stabilises, a mind that simplifies chaos, a temperament that doesn’t flinch when the board burns.

In an exclusive conversation with WION, Fabiano Caruana opens up on precision, pressure, and Alpine SG Pipers’ 2025 campaign in the Global Chess League, balancing evolution, teamwork, and the road to the 2026 Candidates

WION Exclusive: 'Game eight against Magnus Carlsen still haunts me', says Fabiano Caruana as he opens up on his biggest what-if

fabiano-caruana

Fabiano Caruana, News on Fabiano Caruana, stories on Fabiano Caruana, articles on Fabiano Caruana, Fabiano Caruana stories at Wion, Fabiano Caruana news, Fabiano Caruana latest news

fabiano caruana

Praggnanandhaa scripts historic win, lifts maiden Grand Chess Tour Finals title

Super Rapid and Blitz: Gukesh defeats Caruana in final round of Rapid event

'Game eight against Carlsen still...', says Fabiano Caruana