Praggnanandhaa Defeats Gukesh, Moves to World No. 3

In a thrilling start to the Sinquefield Cup Chess Tournament in St. Louis, USA, on August 19, 2025, Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa outclassed World Champion D Gukesh in the opening round, propelling himself to the third position in the live world rankings. The victory places Praggnanandhaa alongside American Levon Aronian, who also secured a win against Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov, at the top of the leaderboard in this USD 350,000 prize money event.

Praggnanandhaa, playing with white pieces, faced Gukesh’s Queen’s Gambit Accepted. Gukesh, handling the black pieces, struggled early, spending excessive time in a familiar position and opting for a questionable setup that led to an early queen exchange. This handed Praggnanandhaa a clear advantage with the bishop pair. Gukesh’s time trouble compounded his difficulties, and Praggnanandhaa capitalized by winning a pawn, sealing the game in just 36 moves. “I don’t really know what happened today. I think he was a bit off,” Praggnanandhaa remarked post-game, noting that this win leveled their classical chess record at three victories each.

Elsewhere, Levon Aronian showcased his resilience against Abdusattorov, turning the tables after the Uzbek’s aggressive play fizzled out. Despite a slightly favorable position, Abdusattorov faltered, allowing Aronian to secure a decisive victory. Other first-round encounters saw Fabiano Caruana (USA) draw with Poland’s Duda Jan-Kryzstof, wild card Samuel Savian (USA) split points with Wesley So (USA), and France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave draw with compatriot Alireza Firouzja.

Also Read: World Champion Gukesh Slips to Sixth in St. Louis Rapid and Blitz Showdown!

With eight rounds remaining, six players are tied for third, while Gukesh and Abdusattorov aim to rebound from their opening losses. Praggnanandhaa’s triumph marks a significant milestone, as he reflected, “Last year, I messed up some good positions against him... so finally it’s good to get a win.” The Sinquefield Cup promises more intense battles as these elite grandmasters vie for supremacy.

Also Read: World Champion Gukesh Slips to Sixth in St. Louis Rapid and Blitz Showdown!