Praggnanandhaa is now within touching distance of the Grand Chess Tour final after defeating Vincent Keymer 9-3 in the second round of their semifinal.
The Indian grandmaster endured an uncomfortable opening phase as Keymer gained the initiative and threatened the white king. The momentum shifted when Keymer missed a tactical opportunity and lost a rook for a knight.
Praggnanandhaa capitalized on the error and gradually took control, even as both players battled against the clock. Keymer resigned on move 55 when the Indian’s attack had reached a near-winning stage.
The 9-3 scoreline means Praggnanandhaa needs only six more points to reach the final of the $450,000 tournament. Four blitz and two rapid games are still to be played.
Meanwhile, the other semifinal between Fabiano Caruana and Wesley So ended in a draw. Caruana dominated much of the game and appeared on course for victory, but Wesley’s fighting play and Caruana’s missed chances led to a drawn endgame after 50 moves.
The final will have 28 points at stake, with 15 needed to qualify. The winner will receive $200,000, while the second, third and fourth-place finishers will earn $125,000, $75,000 and $50,000 respectively.
