Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour: Why Praggnanandhaa won’t be enjoying in Weissenhaus regardless of profitable Tata Metal Chess

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa pulled off arguably the largest triumph of his profession to this point after profitable the 2025 Tata Metal Masters, beating the likes of reigning world champion D Gukesh in addition to Arjun Erigaisi to turn into solely the second Indian to win the distinguished occasion after the legendary
Viswanathan Anand.

Gukesh was a powerful favorite for the title after his victory over Ding Liren within the FIDE World Championship showdown in Singapore in December, and did put up an excellent tight to stay in joint-lead until the final spherical, ensuing within the title being determined in blitz tie-breaks.

Praggnanandhaa, nevertheless, highlighted the depth in India’s golden chess era by beating Gukesh in addition to Arjun, who was among the many front-runners however in the end completed a disappointing tenth, to the title.

Pragg, as he’s popularly identified, led the ‘Masters’ standings for the higher a part of the event. And when it got here to the tie-breaks, he held his nerve regardless of being 0-1 all the way down to
beat Gukesh within the subsequent two video games and take dwelling the trophy in addition to the prize cash.

Additionally Learn |
Tata Metal Chess champion Praggnanandhaa reveals how Gukesh, Arjun impressed him to work more durable

The 19-year-old had an excellent run final 12 months, defeating Magnus Carlsen in Norway Chess earlier than serving to the Indian ‘Open’ group bulldoze their solution to gold together with Gukesh, Arjun in addition to Vidit Gujrathi and Pentala Harikrishna on the forty fifth Chess Olympiad.

The victory in Wijk aan Zee on Sunday, nevertheless, is the largest of Pragg’s profession to this point and confirms his place among the many elite of the game.

So why then is he not a part of the lineup on the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour’s opening occasion in Weissenhaus, Germany that will get underway on Friday?

Why R Praggnanandhaa won’t be in motion in Weissenhaus

The opening occasion of the inaugural Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, which contains 5 occasions in 5 completely different cities throughout 4 continents this 12 months and will likely be performed within the distinctive Freestyle Chess, a.okay.a. Chess960 format, will characteristic 10 gamers, a majority of whom are the who’s who of the chess world.

That features world No 1 and five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen, who helped create the Tour in addition to the Freestyle Chess Gamers Membership with German entrepreneur Jan Henric Buettner, and reigning world champion Gukesh. Anand was additionally among the many 10 members, however
withdrew from the event amid tensions between Freestyle Chess and world governing physique FIDE, of which he’s the deputy president.

The lineup for the Weissenhaus occasion consists of the highest three gamers from the Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T. Problem in February final 12 months in addition to the three highest-ranked gamers within the April 2024 FIDE Rankings. A slot was additionally reserved for the FIDE World Champion, which Gukesh clinched after beating Ding, whereas the organisers handed out a few wildcards to Anand and German GM Vincent Keymer, the previous being changed by Javokhir Sindarov after deciding to drag out.

The one manner Praggnanandhaa may have certified for the occasion was by the Swiss qualifying event that was held on-line final month. And whereas the world No 7 did make it to the Spherical of 16, the place he defeated compatriot Vidit, his hopes of dealing with Gukesh, Carlsen and others in Weissenhaus got here to an finish with a defeat in opposition to Sindarov within the quarter-finals of the qualification event.

Sindarov would later beat China’s Yu Yangi earlier than dropping to Russian-Slovenian Grandmaster Vladimir Fedoseev within the ultimate for the latter to clinch the tenth spot. Anand’s sudden withdrawal, nevertheless, would later come as a silver lining for the Uzbekistani GM.