Over Rs 1 crore in pocket, yet R Praggnanandhaa calls Clutch Chess campaign ‘a bit disappointing’
R Praggnanandhaa at the 2026 Chess Olympiad (photo by Michal Walusza for FIDE) NEW DELHI: Indian grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa walked away with over Rs 1 crore in prize money after finishing second at the Clutch Chess: Champions Showdown in Saint Louis, USA.However, despite the handsome prize money, the young Indian chess star admitted that she was slightly disappointed to miss out on the title.Praggnanandhaa finished second with 19 points, just 1.5 points behind Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov, who staged an impressive comeback on the final day to take the title with 20.5 points. Fabiano Caruana finished third with 16.5 points, while Hikaru Nakamura settled for fourth place with 12 points.Reacting to his performance in a video shared on X, Praggnanandhaa said, “The clutch chess tournament just ended and I finished second. It was a really exciting event with a lot of crazy games.”“Congratulations to Javokhir. He played really well at the end on the last day when it mattered the most. And as for me, uh, it’s a little disappointing, I was so close to the title, but I’m still happy that I fought until the end and kept the chances alive.”
How much did Praggnanandhaa earn?
Despite missing out on the championship, Praggnanandhaa earned $109,000, approximately Rs 1.04 million, including his tournament prize money and performance bonuses.Sindarov took home the top prize of $168,000 (around Rs 1.60 crore) while Caruana earned $81,000 (around Rs 77.11 crore). Nakamura finished fourth with $67,000 (around Rs 63.78 lakh).The prize structure of the tournament included base prizes, additional bonuses for daily wins and a special jackpot for the champion. The base prize for the winner was $125,000, while the runner-up was eligible for $94,000.Players also received win bonuses, with the reward increasing from $1,000 for a win on the opening day to $3,000 on the final day. The money collected from the drawn games went into a jackpot reserved exclusively for the champion.
Sindarov makes a late comeback to win the title
The final day proved to be decisive in the fight for the title. Sindarov started the day 2.5 points behind Praggnanandhaa but produced three wins and three draws to turn the tables. His victory over Nakamura with black pieces with an attacking display in the King’s Indian Defense was among the standout performances of the tournament.Praggnanandhaa also had opportunities to stay in front but failed to secure key results in his last matches. A draw against Caruana and defeat to the American in the final round ended his title hopes.READ ALSO: A mother who had to quit her job for Rs 50 LPA is now changing the chess scene in North IndiaThe win gives Sindarov a valuable boost ahead of his upcoming World Championship match against India’s D Gukesh, scheduled to begin in Geneva on November 24, 2026.
Who do you think had the most impressive comeback at the tournament?
More than 3,000 users shared the opinion today
More than 5,000 users have already voted today
More than 3,000 users shared the opinion today
Share an opinion