Fresh from his thrilling victory at the Tata Steel Masters, Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has emerged as the favorite to claim the title at the upcoming Prague Masters, which kicks off in Prague on Wednesday. After overcoming world champion D Gukesh in a tense tiebreaker at Tata Steel, Praggnanandhaa will now look to build on his form and seize another prestigious win.
Meanwhile, Grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram makes his debut in the elite chess world, thanks to his remarkable rise in performance and rating last year. Having reached a live rating of 2730, Aravindh is now knocking on the door of the top 20 global rankings and is ranked fifth in India, trailing only Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa, and five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand.
The tournament field promises excitement, with Chinese Grandmaster Wei Yi leading the charge as the top seed. Praggnanandhaa sits second based on the latest ratings released on February 1, followed by Vietnam’s Le Quang Liem in third and Germany’s Vincent Keymer in fourth. Aravindh is seeded fourth in the 10-player, 9-round all-play-all event.
Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri, known for his vast theoretical preparation, will be one to watch, while Czech star David Navara, Nguyen Thai Dai Van, Sam Shankland from the United States, and promising talent Edil Gurez round out the lineup.
For Praggnanandhaa, the Prague Masters presents a golden opportunity, as his ability to outplay top-tier opponents gives him an edge in the tournament. Statistical analysis places Praggnanandhaa with a 14.98% chance of winning, ahead of Wei Yi, who has a 10.52% chance.
Aravindh, determined and skilled, will be looking to make his mark in this elite competition, though consistency will be crucial to his success.
In the Challengers’ section, Divya Deshmukh will also represent India, competing against a strong field of Grandmasters.
The first round of both sections begins Wednesday, with the drawing of lots set for Tuesday evening.
