“I’m Surprised”: Levon Aronian Praises R Praggnanandhaa’s Transformation into a Global Chess Tour Champion

NEW DELHI – In a move that has sent ripples through the professional chess circuit, Indian prodigy Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa has officially shed the label of being a “slow-starter” in rapid and blitz formats. Following his historic victory at the Grand Chess Tour (GCT) Finals in St. Louis, the 19-year-old has drawn rare, public admiration from some of the game’s most decorated veterans.

Among those paying tribute is American Grandmaster Levon Aronian, who admitted that he once viewed Praggnanandhaa’s speed-chess performance as a exploitable weakness.

From Vulnerability to Victory

Just one year ago, the dynamic between Aronian and Praggnanandhaa was markedly different. During the 2023 GCT Finals in São Paulo, Aronian defeated the Indian sensation in a third-place playoff, walking away with the realization that the youngster struggled to keep pace in the high-pressure, quick-fire formats of rapid and blitz.

However, the landscape shifted dramatically last Thursday in St. Louis. Praggnanandhaa secured a hard-fought 15-13 victory over world-class contender Fabiano Caruana to claim the prestigious GCT title. He became the first Indian—and only the seventh player in the tournament’s 11-year history—to hoist the trophy, earning a $200,000 payday.

Crucially, Praggnanandhaa’s path to victory was paved by the very formats that previously hindered him. He dominated the rapid portion of the finals and maintained his composure to secure a 4-4 draw in the blitz section, effectively neutralizing the threat of a comeback.

A Rare Admission of Progress

“After last year’s GCT finals, where I beat him, I thought that blitz and rapid were his weak points, and that should be exploited,” Aronian told TimesofIndia.com ahead of the upcoming Global Chess League (GCL) season. “To be honest, I’m surprised. I think he made good progress in those aspects.”

Aronian, who will represent the Ganges Grandmasters this September, praised the young star’s work ethic. “You have to compliment and congratulate somebody who is working hard to fix their weaknesses,” he added. “I’m happy for him because he’s a fighter and a very likeable person.”

High Praise from the ‘Old Guard’

Aronian is not the only legend taking note of the Indian star’s meteoric rise. Five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand has gone a step further, recently identifying his young compatriot as perhaps the best player in the world right now.

Anand pointed to Praggnanandhaa’s incredible capacity for late-game turnarounds—a trait showcased during Norway Chess, where the youngster surged from the bottom of the leaderboard to finish strong.

“He has this capacity, and it’s becoming more and more noticeable that he’s able to win late games and change everything,” Anand observed. “That’s a very, very rare and useful skill to have.”

As the international circuit prepares for the new Global Chess League season in Bengaluru, the consensus among the sport’s elite is clear: Praggnanandhaa is no longer a prospect to be managed—he is a dominant force to be reckoned with.