2 min readAug 20, 2026 02:33 PM IST
Continuing his impressive run of form, R Praggnanandhaa finished joint-top of the Sinquefield Cup 2026 on Thursday while also securing his spot in the Grand Chess Tour final. The Indian Grandmaster drew his final round against Dutch GM Anish Giri, ending his campaign on level terms with American Grandmaster Wesley So, both tying for the top spot with 5.5 points from 9 rounds.
Wesley So eventually bagged the bragging rights and a handsome prize money of $87,500 after claiming the title against Pragg in the tiebreaks. After the first two rapid playoff games ended in draws, Wesley nailed the hammer in a nervy Armageddon game, playing with draw odds to clinch the tournament.
For Pragg, however, the result still meant a second straight GCT final appearance. This joint-top finish in the Sinquefield Cup comes on the back of an exceptional run that included victory at Norway Chess and a title at the Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz.
Pragg notched up wins against Candidates winner Javokhir Sindarov and French GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, while his solitary loss in the event came at the hands of Germany’s Vincent Keymer. Pragg’s consistency across formats has cemented his position as one of the most reliable performers on the global circuit.
Joining Praggnanandhaa in the GCT finals are Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, and Vincent Keymer. World Championship challenger Sindarov needed a top-two finish at the Sinquefield Cup to qualify. A win in the final round would have helped Sindarov tie for the top spot, but eventual champion Wesley held him to a draw, denying him both a shot at the Sinquefield title and a place in the GCT finals.
The GCT finals, featuring the top four players of the season, will begin on Saturday, where Praggnanandhaa will be eager to go one better than last year and become the first Indian to win the overall tour title.
