Praggnanandhaa wins London Chess Classic 2025 Open, strengthens bid for Candidates 2026

R Praggnanandhaa inched closer to securing the final Candidates 2026 berth after emerging joint champion at the London Chess Classic 2025 Open, capping off what has been one of his most successful years on the international circuit.

Despite an unexpectedly early exit in the fourth round of the FIDE World Cup 2025 in Goa, the 19-year-old has dominated across formats this season. His latest podium finish in London added 8.17 points to his FIDE Circuit tally, taking him to a commanding 115.17 points from his best seven events, the highest on the leaderboard.

Praggnanandhaa looked in complete control for most of the tournament. After starting with a flawless 3/3, scoring wins over Stanley Badacsonyi, Eldar Gasanov and Nico Chasin, he briefly slipped out of the top bracket following draws against Pranav Anand and Hungary’s Tamás Jr Fodor. He quickly regained momentum with a crucial sixth-round win against Israel’s Eytan Rozen.

A strong victory over Romania’s David Gavrilescu in the penultimate round put the Chennai Grandmaster into the sole lead. Going into the final round, he needed a win with the black pieces to clinch the title outright. Although Israel’s Ilya Smirin managed to hold him to a draw, Praggnanandhaa’s overall performance remained unmatched.

His final score at the top allowed England’s Ameet K Ghashi and Serbia’s Velimir Ivić to join him as co-winners but the Indian star finished as the top performer of the field, reinforcing his status as the leading contender for the last remaining Candidates 2026 spot.