Praggnanandhaa Maintains Lead After Three Days of Saint Louis Rapid; All Eyes Turn to Blitz

by Devansh Singh - 05/08/2026

R. Praggnanandhaa kept his lead after the completion of 9 Rapid games at Grand Chess Tour Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz 2026. On the 3rd day, Praggnanandhaa drew with Anish Giri, and in the 8th round he defeated Vincent Keymer. The shocking result of the day was Pragg losing the final round against Jorden van Foreest. The result didn't affect the standings as Pragg is leading with 12/18 points while Sindarov is in 2nd place with 11/18. The fast-paced blitz action will start on 5th August. Photos: Crystal Fuller

The Dominance

Praggnanandhaa started the day with a solid draw against Anish Giri in the 7th Round. In the same round, Vincent Keymer defeated Jorden van Foreest, and now it was the time when Vincent and Pragg would face each other in the 8th round.

Focused!

Pragg started the day with a draw against Anish

R Praggnanandhaa vs. Vincent Keymer

The game started with Nimzo Indian, and Pragg got an early opening advantage against Vincent. Pragg was exchange up in the middle game, but the position was not very clear. Vincent kept on fighting, which rewarded him in the endgame as he managed to hold the position, but where he could have repeated the moves, he decided to play for a win and hung a piece, and Pragg won the game

Praggnanandhaa played a fantastic game to win against Vincent

Vincent played 65...f3, which allowed Pragg to capture the bishop on c6 with a check

Check out the full game

Final Round

There was only 1 decisive result in the final round, where Praggnanandhaa suffered his 1st loss of the tournament against Jorden van Foreest with black pieces. Pragg decided to play the French, and Jorden created a beautiful attack to win the game.

Jorden became the only player to defeat Pragg in the Rapid section

Standings after Day 3

Replay Day 3 Games

Games in action at Saint Louis Club

Sindarov is in 2nd place

Wesley is in 3rd place with 10 points

Bibisara Assaubayeva rang the bell to inaugurate the 3rd day

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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