Praggnanandhaa defeats world champion Ding Liren

In the Tata Steel Masters at Wijk aan Zee on Tuesday, the Indian teenager Praggnanandhaa secured a notable victory against the reigning World Champion Ding Liren in the fourth round. This remarkable triumph propelled Praggnanandhaa to the position of India’s top-ranked chess player in FIDE’s live ratings, surpassing the five-time world champion, Viswanathan Anand. His current rating stands at an impressive 2748.3, while Anand holds a rating of 2748 (FIDE updates ratings at the beginning of each month).

Moreover, Praggnanandhaa now shares the distinction with Anand as the second Indian chess player to defeat a reigning world champion in classical chess. This achievement marks a significant milestone in Praggnanandhaa’s burgeoning chess career, highlighting his prowess on the international stage.

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Praggnanandhaa had a good start

Playing with black pieces, Pragg had the advantage on the board from the start. This was his first win in four rounds at the Tata Steel chess event this year after three draws. Coincidentally, Praggnanandhaa had also defeated Ding at the same event with black pieces in 2023, on January 17. Back then, Ding was the World No 2 and was preparing to compete at the Candidates tournament.

At Wijk aan Zee, Ding is playing in a rare tournament after taking the world championship crown last year by defeating Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi.

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Meanwhile, Gukesh, who last year had become the first Indian to overhaul Anand as India’s No 1 in 36 years in the FIDE published ratings, lost his encounter with Anish Giri. Gukesh had edged past Anish to secure a spot among the Candidates via the ratings route at the last second.