Praggnanandhaa's Surge to World No. 1 Junior Elicits Playful Jab from Giri After UzChess Cup Triumph

Giri's Jocular Remark on Praggnanandhaa's Rise to World No. 1 Junior

Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri, known for his wit, stirred the chess community with a playful reaction to R Praggnanandhaa becoming the world's top-rated junior player.

The 31-year-old Giri, currently ranked world No. 10 with a live rating of 2748.0, quipped, "Chess juniors nowadays have to be at least U16, keeping track of U20 players is totally pointless." His statement subtly acknowledges the rapid ascent of young talents who are now challenging established players at the highest levels of the game.

Giri's comment followed Praggnanandhaa's impressive victory at the UzChess Cup Masters 2025 in Uzbekistan. This win propelled the 19-year-old's live rating to 2778.3, positioning him as the World No. 4 overall and, significantly, India's highest-rated chess player.

Praggnanandhaa's achievement saw him surpass fellow Indian Grandmasters D Gukesh (2776.6) and Arjun Erigaisi (2775.7), marking a shift in the Indian chess landscape.

The path to victory for Praggnanandhaa was far from straightforward. He began the final day trailing Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Javokhir Sindarov. However, a critical win against Abdusattorov in the last classical round forced a three-way tie.

In the ensuing blitz tiebreaks, Praggnanandhaa displayed remarkable composure, ultimately securing the tournament win in the second set of rapid games – his third major classical title this year.

Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand lauded the young champion's resilience, commenting, "This win seemed the least likely with just two rounds to go… An impressive demonstration of character."

Adding the UzChess Cup to his list of achievements, Praggnanandhaa's 2025 has been stellar, with victories at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament and the Superbet Classic in Romania. He also secured a runner-up position at the Stepan Avagyan Memorial.

While Giri's remark was lighthearted, Praggnanandhaa's success underscores a crucial point: the future of world chess is here, and India is at the forefront.