The remarkable journey of Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa in the FIDE World Cup reached its conclusion as he faced a defeat at the hands of world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, who secured a 1.5-0.5 victory in the tie-breaker on Thursday, following a deadlock in the classical games.
The second tie-break game, played with a time control of 25 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move, ended in a draw after 22 moves, as the seasoned Norwegian player opted for a cautious approach to secure his win. Carlsen’s mastery in end-game strategies was on display, marking his inaugural World Cup victory, a significant achievement in addition to his five World Championship titles.
The initial tie-break game presented Carlsen with a formidable challenge from his 18-year-old Indian rival. Despite Praggnanandhaa’s spirited gameplay, Carlsen emerged triumphant in the game, spanning 45 moves. He adeptly tackled the hurdles posed by Praggnanandhaa’s daring tactics, ultimately turning the situation around to his favor.
The classical games held on Tuesday and Wednesday concluded with draws, prompting the series to proceed to the tie-break phase.
Throughout the tournament, Praggnanandhaa’s performance was nothing short of incredible. He managed to defeat world No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura and world No. 3 Fabiano Caruana, earning him the chance to compete against Carlsen in the finals.
In a significant turn of events, Praggnanandhaa’s achievements in the ongoing tournament also secured his qualification for the Candidates 2024 tournament, slated to take place in Canada. This achievement marked him as the third youngest player, joining the ranks of the legendary Bobby Fischer and Carlsen, to earn a spot in the prestigious Candidates tournament.
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