Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa Tops Elite Field to Claim First Rapid & Blitz Title at 2026 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz
Grandmaster (GM) Praggnanandhaa won his first Rapid & Blitz title at the 2026 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, hosted by the Saint Louis Chess Club as the first U.S. leg of the Grand Chess Tour (GCT). The Indian grandmaster built his victory by topping the rapid section with 12 of a possible 18 points before sealing the overall title in the blitz, winning $50,000. His rapid performance also lifted him into the live top 10 of the world rapid rankings for the first time in his career.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260807484260/en/ Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa celebrates after winning the 2026 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz at the Saint Louis Chess Club in St Louis, Missouri.
"I was just trying to stay calm and play. I wanted to win the Rapid and Blitz separately, which I think I managed, so that's good," said Praggnanandhaa. "Last year, the Rapid & Blitz put me in a situation where I had to perform in the Sinquefield Cup, but this time the Rapid & Blitz has helped me go into the 2026 Sinquefield Cup with a good score, so I'm happy that I managed to improve in that area."
