Praggnanandhaa Ascends to Top Junior Chess Rank: Giri Offers Tongue-in-Cheek Reaction

Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri, known for his insightful commentary, stirred the chess community with a humorous reaction to R Praggnanandhaa achieving the World No.1 junior ranking.

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 remark subtly highlights the exceptional talent emerging at increasingly younger ages, challenging the established hierarchy in elite chess.

The comment followed Praggnanandhaa's impressive victory at the UzChess Cup Masters 2025 in Uzbekistan. This win propelled the 19-year-old to a live rating of 2778.3, making him World No. 4 overall and surpassing D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi to become India's highest-rated chess player.

Praggnanandhaa's path to victory was filled with drama. Entering the final day trailing Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Javokhir Sindarov, he secured a crucial win against Abdusattorov in the last classical round, forcing a three-way tie.

Displaying remarkable composure, Praggnanandhaa triumphed in the blitz tiebreaks, ultimately winning the tournament in the second set of rapid games. This victory marks his third major classical title of the year.

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

The UzChess Cup victory adds to Praggnanandhaa's impressive 2025, which includes wins at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament and the Superbet Classic in Romania. He also recently finished runner-up at the Stepan Avagyan Memorial.

While Giri's comment was lighthearted, Praggnanandhaa's achievements underscore a significant trend: the future of world chess is rapidly evolving, with India at the forefront.