Praggnanandhaa Wins the Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz 2026

Praggnanandhaa R won the Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz 2026 chess event, topping the blitz too with just one loss in 18 games, ahead of Sindarov and So.

India's Praggnanandhaa R has won the Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz 2026, a Grand Chess Tour event in St. Louis. After finishing first in the rapid section, he also scored the most points in the 18-round blitz and took the overall title in style.

In the blitz Praggnanandhaa won 6 games, drew 11 and lost just 1, for 11.5 points out of 18. Losing only once in 18 blitz games against the world's best is remarkable. With 5 minutes per player and a 2-second increment, even top grandmasters often make mistakes when the clock runs low.

The Grand Chess Tour counts rapid results double. Under that system Praggnanandhaa finished on 23.5 points. Javokhir Sindarov was second on 22 after another steady performance: he lost only two blitz games and had already been unbeaten in the rapid. Wesley So was third on 20.5, and Levon Aronian fourth on 19.

The blitz had plenty of drama elsewhere. Aronian and Jorden Van Foreest each won 7 games, the most in the field, but both also lost several. Van Foreest won 7, drew only 4 and lost 7. That is the fighting style many fans love to watch, but it carries more risk than Praggnanandhaa's controlled approach.

What can young players take from this? Praggnanandhaa's blitz success was mostly about not losing, not about spectacular wins. With 11 draws he kept his position safe when nothing was there and pounced when opponents slipped. In your own blitz games, try this: when you are not sure what to do, make a safe, useful move instead of a risky one. Put a piece on a better square, protect a weak pawn, or tuck your king away. Often your opponent will make the first mistake.

Next up in St. Louis is the classical Sinquefield Cup, which begins on 10 August.