Praggnanandhaa Wins Saint Louis Rapid 2026 Section With 6/9

Praggnanandhaa R topped the Saint Louis Rapid 2026 chess standings with 6/9, ahead of Javokhir Sindarov and Wesley So, before the blitz begins.

Praggnanandhaa R has finished first in the rapid section of the Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz 2026. The Indian grandmaster scored 6 points from 9 games, half a point ahead of Javokhir Sindarov on 5.5 and a full point ahead of Wesley So on 5.

The last day had a big win and a surprise. In round 8 Praggnanandhaa beat Vincent Keymer in a long 68-move Nimzo-Indian Defense, which made his lead much safer. In the final round Jorden Van Foreest beat him in only 28 moves of a French Defense. It was his only loss of the rapid, but it reminds us that nobody is unbeatable at faster time controls.

Praggnanandhaa's full rapid record was four wins, four draws and one loss. His wins came against Levon Aronian, Fabiano Caruana, Awonder Liang and Keymer. Sindarov finished unbeaten and picked up wins against Van Foreest and Liang. Wesley So beat Liang on day one and Caruana in round 8.

Caruana, one of the world's top classical players, had a hard rapid event and finished on 4 points. Rapid chess rewards quick decisions and practical choices, and even elite players can find it uncomfortable. That should encourage young players. Every chess player has formats where they feel strong and formats where they still need to grow.

There is a lesson in how Praggnanandhaa handled the last round. He was already in first place when he lost to Van Foreest. A loss after a great run can feel terrible, but the full tournament matters more than one game. When you lose a game at your own tournament, take a short break, drink some water, and think about the next round instead of the last one.

Next comes the blitz: 18 rounds over two days, at 5 minutes per game plus a 2-second increment. Blitz points count once while rapid points count double, so Praggnanandhaa starts with a solid cushion. Sindarov and So are close enough to catch him with a strong blitz performance.