17 october 2024 : In Round 6 of the Tata Steel Chess India blitz in 2018, a young 13-year-old Praggnanandhaa faced off against the seasoned 48-year-old five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand. Their match, the first tournament encounter between the two, became one of the most viewed chess clips on YouTube.
At just 12 years, 10 months, and 13 days old, Praggnanandhaa was the second-youngest Grandmaster that year, only behind Sergey Karjakin. By the time the Tata Steel tournament occurred in Kolkata, he had fallen to third place, with Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov now in second. Interestingly, Praggnanandhaa’s first victory in Kolkata came against Karjakin.
During their match, Praggnanandhaa, despite his young age, displayed impressive skill with the White pieces. Although Anand managed to neutralize any threats, he ultimately won the Tata Steel blitz title after defeating Hikaru Nakamura in the playoffs. This victory came less than a year after Anand had claimed the world rapid title. At that time, Anand was an active competitor, and India had around 54 GMs. Today, with Anand now semi-retired, he mentors rising stars like Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh, while the number of GMs in India has increased to 85.
On Tuesday, Praggnanandhaa and Anand met over the board for the first time since 2018 at the WR Masters quarter-finals in London, marking their first classical match against each other. Their classical encounters ended in draws, with Anand having opportunities in the first game, but the 19-year-old Praggnanandhaa defended well. In the second game, it was Anand who held a solid defense, leading to an Armageddon tiebreaker.
In the Armageddon, Praggnanandhaa had 10 minutes and needed a win, while Anand, playing with Black, had just over 6 minutes and only required a draw to advance to the semi-finals. Praggnanandhaa opted for the Scotch opening, aiming to put pressure on Anand, who was already low on time.
He quickly gained a dominant position, placing his rook effectively on the open b-file and utilizing his dark-squared bishop to threaten White’s King. Anand struggled to find counterplay, and Praggnanandhaa’s move of 22. Qc3 threatened check, while his rook on the h-file had already captured a pawn. Anand found himself running out of resources to defend against the onslaught.
In the past six years, Indian chess has transformed dramatically, with two Indian players—Arjun Erigaisi and Gukesh—now in the top five. Anand, currently serving as deputy president of FIDE, participates in only a few tournaments each year but remains ranked world No. 11 (2751), while Praggnanandhaa holds the No. 12 position (2746). Last month, India achieved a historic gold medal sweep at the open and women’s Olympiad, and for the first time, an Indian not named Anand is set to compete in the World Championship.
After a lengthy day filled with 26 moves in the Armageddon, Anand extended his hand to Praggnanandhaa in resignation and smiled. This defeat represents not just a loss for Anand but a testament to his legacy, as the young generation he inspired continues to rise and challenge the world stage.
