Praggnanandhaa Hits Career-High Rapid Rating, Enters World Top 10 at Saint Louis Rapid 2026

by Devansh Singh - 04/08/2026

R. Praggnanandhaa continued his stellar run on Day 2 of the Grand Chess Tour Saint Louis Rapid 2026. Praggnanandhaa started the second day with a draw against Javokhir Sindarov in the 4th Round. Previously on the 1st day, he had already defeated Aronian and Caruana in consecutive games. In the 5th round, he scored another victory against Awonder Liang. Pragg ended his day with a marathon 117-move draw against Wesley So. With this amazing performance, Pragg reached his career-high rapid rating of 2714.5. Photos: Lennart Ootes and Austin Fuller

Top 10 in the World

Beyond maintaining his tournament lead, Praggnanandhaa’s dominant performance has pushed his live Rapid rating to a career-highest 2714.5. This milestone officially secures his spot in the World Top 10 in FIDE Live Rapid Ratings for the first time in his career. With this achievement, India now has three Grandmasters in the Rapid Top 10, alongside Viswanathan Anand and Arjun Erigaisi.

World Top 10 Rapid | Credit: 2700chess.com

Day 1

Pragg opened his tournament with a solid, hard-fought draw with the Black pieces against Leinier Dominguez in Round 1. He immediately escalated his play in Round 2, outmaneuvering American veteran Levon Aronian to secure his first full win of the event.

The game between Praggnanandhaa and Dominguez ends in a draw

In a sharp tactical battle, Pragg came out on top to beat Aronian

White to play, Mate in 4

Pragg found the mate; can you find it too??

The highlight of the day arrived in Round 3, where Praggnanandhaa scored a statement victory against last year’s runner-up Fabiano Caruana.

Day 1 Recap

In this video, IM Sagar Shah gives you a recap of the first day.

Standings after Day 1

Replay Day 1 Games

Day 2

Praggnanandhaa was consistently on the front foot throughout Day 2, building winning or heavily advantageous positions in all three of his games. In Round 4, he extracted a huge opening advantage against Javokhir Sindarov. He trapped the Uzbek GM's bishop early on, though Sindarov managed to stir enough tactical counter-play to escape with a draw.

Praggnanandhaa enters the World top 10 Rapid on Day 2

Sindarov is also performing really well as he is in 2nd place after both days

Playing with the Black pieces in Round 5, Pragg capitalized on his chances to claim a decisive victory over Awonder Liang.

Wesley managed to hold a draw against Pragg

In Round 6 against Wesley So, Pragg pushed into a Double Rook endgame despite pressing hard with serious winning chances; the game ended in a draw, and players split the points after 117 moves.

Games in action at Saint Louis Club

Standings after Day 2

Replay Day 2 Games

Venue: Saint Louis Chess Club

The Saint Louis Chess Club stands as the premier global destination for competitive play, anchoring Saint Louis as the “Chess Capital of the United States.” This state-of-the-art facility features a world-class tournament hall designed to accommodate everyone from local enthusiasts to legendary Grandmasters. As a non-profit educational organization, the club serves as the prestigious home for all major U.S. Championship events as well as the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, the Sinquefield Cup, the Cairns Cup and more.

About the 2026 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz

Launching the Grand Chess Tour's final stretch in the Chess Capital of America, the 2026 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz brings ten elite grandmasters to the Saint Louis Chess Club from July 31–August 7. Across five days of play, the field will contest nine rapid rounds and eighteen blitz rounds—135 games in all—with critical Tour Points on the line before the Sinquefield Cup and GCT Grand Finals.

The Field

The 10-player lineup consists of seven full-tour competitors and three wildcards. Full-tour players Fabiano Caruana, Javokhir Sindarov, Vincent Keymer, Wesley So, Anish Giri, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, and Jorden van Foreest are joined by wildcards Leinier Dominguez, Levon Aronian, and Awonder Liang.

Prize Fund

The total prize fund for the event is $200,000, with $50,000 awarded to first place. Full-tour players also compete for Tour Points that help determine qualification for the 2026 GCT Grand Finals.

How to Watch

Follow every round with professional commentary led by Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan on the Saint Louis Chess Club's YouTube channel and on Twitch. For spectators in Saint Louis, day passes include standing-room tournament hall access, live Grandmaster commentary, and complimentary food, snacks, and beverages.

Format

The tournament combines two fast-paced disciplines: a 9-round single round-robin Rapid tournament (played at a time control of 25 minutes plus a 10-second increment from move one) and an 18-round double round-robin Blitz tournament (played at 5 minutes plus a 2-second increment from move one). Rapid wins count for 2 points and draws for 1 point, while Blitz wins count for 1 point and draws for ½ point.

Important Links

Grand Chess Tour: Official Site, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Photo Gallery

Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz: Official Site, Tickets, Results and Standings

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