NEW DELHI: In a remarkable display of skill and determination, Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa emerged victorious at the Tata Steel Masters 2025, held in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands.
His triumph was celebrated upon his return to Chennai, where officials from the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) greeted him.
This victory marked a significant milestone in Praggnanandhaa’s career, as he overcame D Gukesh, the reigning World Champion, in a gripping final that captivated chess enthusiasts worldwide.
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Reflecting on his journey to this prestigious title, Praggnanandhaa acknowledged the influence of his peers’ achievements on his motivation and performance.
“I didn’t have a great end to 2024. So I worked hard for it (the tournament). I am happy to have such a great start to this year. Gukesh also played well. It was an exciting tiebreaker. Results from other Indian chess players like Gukesh winning the world championship or Arjun Erigaisi crossing 2800 (Elo rating in classical chess) inspired me to work harder. Another reason was that I wasn’t happy with my game. I wanted to play better. So I kept practising,” said Praggnanandhaa.
The final match against Gukesh was a testament to Praggnanandhaa’s resilience and strategic prowess.
After losing the first game in the tiebreaker, he made a commendable comeback to secure a 2-1 victory, thereby clinching his first Tata Steel Masters title.
This achievement made him the first Indian to win the title since Viswanathan Anand in 2006, a feat that has drawn praise from Anand himself.
Anand’s playful remark, “Mere pass panch hai .. IYKYK!”, served as a light-hearted reminder of his own illustrious achievements in the Tata Steel Chess tournament.