Praggnanandhaa Overtakes Giri in Ratings, Sparking Playful Jibe from Dutch Grandmaster

Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri, known for his sharp wit, stirred the chess community with a playful comment regarding R Praggnanandhaa's ascent to the top of the junior chess rankings.

The remark came after Praggnanandhaa, a 19-year-old chess prodigy, secured a stunning victory at the UzChess Cup Masters 2025 in Uzbekistan. This win catapulted him to a live rating of 2778.3, briefly positioning him as the World No.4 overall and, significantly, India's highest-rated chess player.

Giri, currently ranked world no. 10 with a live rating of 2748.0, quipped: "Chess juniors nowadays have to be at least U16, keeping track of U20 players is totally pointless." His comment subtly highlighted the extraordinary achievements of young chess players who are already making waves at the highest levels of the sport.

Praggnanandhaa's path to victory was fraught with challenges. He began the final day trailing Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Javokhir Sindarov. However, a crucial win against Abdusattorov in the last classical round forced a three-way tie. In the ensuing blitz tiebreaks, Praggnanandhaa demonstrated remarkable composure, ultimately clinching the tournament in the second set of rapid games. This marks his third major classical title this year.

The chess world has taken notice of Praggnanandhaa's accomplishments.

Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand lauded the young player's resilience, stating, "This win seemed the least likely with just two rounds to go… An impressive demonstration of character."

This UzChess Cup triumph adds to Praggnanandhaa's impressive 2025, which includes victories at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament and the Superbet Classic in Romania. He also secured a second-place finish at the Stepan Avagyan Memorial.

While Giri's remark was lighthearted, Praggnanandhaa's performance underscores a significant trend: the future of world chess is bright, particularly in India, as young talents continue to emerge and challenge the established order.