Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa delivered a strong finish to claim third place at the prestigious Superbet Rapid and Blitz tournament, part of the 2024 Grand Chess Tour (GCT), while Slovenia’s Vladimir Fedoseev dominated the event with a commanding performance.

Fedoseev’s Commanding Victory

Vladimir Fedoseev entered the final day of the tournament with a 3.5-point lead—and he didn’t let up. Scoring an impressive 7.5 out of 9 in the blitz rounds, he wrapped up the event with 26.5 points out of a possible 36. The win earned him the top prize of $40,000 and marked a stellar debut on the GCT, although he remains a wildcard for now.

France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave secured second place with 21.5 points, five behind Fedoseev. He took home $30,000. R Praggnanandhaa followed closely at 20.5, claiming third place and a $25,000 prize. The Indian star rebounded strongly on the final day, winning four of his last five games after a slow start.

Strong Performances and Shifting Rankings

Despite a rough start to the blitz section, Praggnanandhaa displayed remarkable composure. He scored only one point from his first five games but closed the day with wins over Duda, Topalov, Aravindh, and Gavrilescu. His resilience kept him ahead of several high-profile names and bolstered his standing in the overall GCT rankings.

Levon Aronian, representing the U.S., ended fourth with 20 points, followed by French star Alireza Firouzja at 18.5. Romania’s Deac Bogdan-Daniel scored 18, while Jan-Kryzsztof Duda (Poland) and Indian GM Aravindh Chithambaram shared seventh place with 17 points each. Bulgaria’s Veselin Topalov, a former world champion, finished at the bottom with just 9 points.

What’s Next on the Tour

The Grand Chess Tour now heads to Bucharest for its first Classical event of the season, beginning May 7. All nine permanent tour players will compete, joined by one wildcard. Notably, India’s world champion D Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa will both be in action. Top contenders like Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, and Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov will also participate, promising a fiercely competitive event.

This upcoming leg in Romania could prove decisive in shaping the season’s narrative. With momentum from Bucharest likely to carry forward, the stakes are only getting higher as players vie for top honors on the international stage.

Final Standings Summary:

As the chess world keeps a close watch on market trends in player form and performance, the bank of rising talent—led by Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh—continues to challenge the traditional hierarchy. The next GCT chapter in Bucharest promises more fireworks and surprises.