#Wholesome2023: When India's Praggnanandhaa Almost Pinned Magnus Carlsen On Chess's World Stage

Indian Chess prodigy Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa scripted history in 2023 when the 18-year-old made it to the final of the Chess World Cup, making him the youngest ever to achieve the feat.

Praggnanandhaa also became the only second Indian after the legendary Viswanathan Anand to reach the final in the Chess World Cup.

BCCL

Praggnanandhaa vs Carlson history

In the final, his opponent was none other than former classical World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen.

The two have a history going back to February 2022, when the then-16-year-old defeated then-world champion Carlsen in a rapid game at the Airthings Masters Rapid Chess Tournament, becoming the youngest player to do so.

The duo would meet again at the Chessable Masters online rapid chess tournament in May 2022, and Praggnanandhaa once again emerged victorious.

BCCL

The teenager again defeated his Norwegian opponent three times in the FTX Crypto Cup 2022, finishing second behind Carlsen in the final standings.

Chess World Cup final

The two modern-day greats of Chess came face-to-face once again at the Chess World Cup final in July.

Praggnanandhaa enjoyed an incredible run in the tournament, having beaten world No.2 Hikaru Nakamura and world No.3 Fabiano Caruana to set up a final date against Carlsen, the World No. 1.

FIDE

The two classical games on Tuesday and Wednesday had ended in draws, forcing the final to a tie-break.

The all-important tie-breaker at the Chess World Cup was played in rapid and blitz format on August 24.

Praggnanandhaa's dream run came to an end after he lost 1.5-0.5 the tie-break to the much more experienced Carlson, who was already a Grandmaster when the Indian teenager was born.

Praggnanandhaa's dream run

Though it was heartbreaking, Praggnanandhaa walked away from the tournament with his head held high.

BCCL

In the process, they also qualified for Candidates 2024, thus becoming the third youngest player after the legendary Bobby Fischer and Carlsen to make it to the more than 70-year-old tournament.

Praggnanandhaa's impressive performance at the Chess World Cup also showed that the future of the game in India, which has produced legends like Viswanathan Anand, is in safe hands.

BCCL

World's first brother-sister Grandmaster duo

As 2023 drew to a close, there was more for Rameshbabu and Nagalakshmi to celebrate as their daughter R Vaishali also became a grandmaster.

22-year-old Vaishali, the elder sister of Praggnanandhaa, achieved the feat after crossing 2500 ELO rating points earlier this month.

CHESS BASE

Vaishali is the 84th grandmaster from India and only the third Indian woman to achieve the feat.

Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali also became the world's first-ever brother-sister Grandmasters duo.

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