Praggnanandhaa's Rise to Top Junior Spot Draws Playful Jab from Giri, Heralds New Era in Chess

Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri, known for his wit, stirred the chess community with a playful comment regarding R Praggnanandhaa's ascent to the top of the junior rankings.

R Praggnanandhaa and Anish Giri (Agency Photos)

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." This remark subtly acknowledges the exceptional talent emerging at a young age, challenging the established hierarchy in the chess world.

This statement followed Praggnanandhaa's impressive victory at the UzChess Cup Masters 2025 in Uzbekistan. The 19-year-old's performance boosted his live rating to 2778.3, placing him among the elite and making him the highest-rated chess player in India.

He surpassed both World Champion D Gukesh (2776.6) and Arjun Erigaisi (2775.7), marking a significant shift in Indian chess.

Praggnanandhaa's path to victory was hard-earned. He started the final day trailing Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Javokhir Sindarov but secured a crucial win against Abdusattorov in the last classical round, leading to a three-way tie.

In the blitz tiebreaks, Praggnanandhaa maintained his composure, ultimately winning the tournament in the second set of rapid games – his third major classical title this year.

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

With this victory, Praggnanandhaa adds the UzChess Cup to his list of 2025 achievements, including wins at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament and the Superbet Classic in Romania. He was also a recent runner-up at the Stepan Avagyan Memorial.

While Giri’s remark offers a humorous take on junior rankings, Praggnanandhaa's success highlights a clear trend: the future of global chess is emerging, especially in India.