Chess World Cup 2023 Final: Carlsen wins maiden World Cup as Praggnanandhaa finishes 2nd

• ByStartupStory     |    August 24, 2023

In the Chess World Cup 2023 Final, World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen secured his first World Cup victory by defeating India’s rising star R Praggnanandhaa in the tie-breakers of the final match held in Baku on Thursday, August 24. Carlsen, 32, clinched his inaugural World Cup championship, adding a significant achievement to his impressive collection of trophies.

Despite battling food poisoning, Magnus Carlsen drew upon his extensive experience to outshine the young Indian prodigy, Praggnanandhaa, known for his ability to defeat strong opponents.

While Praggnanandhaa’s loss in the final match in Baku earned him the silver medal, it also earned him a spot in the Candidates Tournament, making him the second Indian to achieve this feat.

Though Praggnanandhaa fell short in the grand final, the 18-year-old from Chennai carved his name in the annals of Indian chess history. He became the first Indian, after Viswanathan Anand, to reach the final and was on the verge of ascending to the highest echelons of Indian chess.

In the lead-up to the final, Carlsen and Praggnanandhaa played two draws in the classical time control games held on Tuesday and Wednesday. Despite missing an opportunity on Tuesday, Praggnanandhaa made a strong showing with the white pieces. Carlsen employed an interesting strategy during the second game, aiming for a draw despite playing with the advantage of white pieces. Carlsen admitted that his desire for an extra day of rest due to food poisoning led him to extend the match to the tie-breakers.

Carlsen’s decision to push the match to tie-breakers was a courageous move, given Praggnanandhaa’s remarkable performance in tie-breakers, winning three of them prior to the final. Both players acknowledged their exhaustion, especially Praggnanandhaa, who played 29 games, nine more than Carlsen leading up to the final.

The final was a test of intelligence and determination, highlighting Carlsen’s experience as he thwarted Praggnanandhaa’s bid for a historic victory.

Although Praggnanandhaa missed the chance to become the first player in the history of the World Cup to triumph after defeating the top three players in the FIDE Rankings, his journey to the finals was remarkable. He overcame three tie-breakers, including ones against World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura and World No. 3 Fabiano Caruana, securing his place in the chess World Cup final.

Praggnanandhaa, with a rapid ELO rating of 2723, demonstrated his resilience under pressure, leaving no doubt about his determination and talent on the grand stage of the World Cup.

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