Chess World Cup 2023 Semi-Final As It Happened: Praggnanandhaa defeats Caruana to seal final against Magnus Carlsen

In the post-pandemic world, a new tidal wave of Indian teenagers had swamped the chess landscape, but the 18-year-old R Praggnanandhaa remains the OG, the original child prodigy. The other bright young stars – D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin – are all walking the path paved by the Chennai boy who goes by the name of Pragg on the global chess circuit.

On Monday, Pragg nudged a reminder by downing the reigning US chess champion Fabiano Caruana via the tiebreaker to enter the final in Baku, where Magnus Carlsen, the modern day chess genius, another OG, awaits him. Befittingly, Viswanathan Anand, who breathlessly tweeted about Pragg’s progress, would be moved to post: “what a performance”. 

READ OUR PIECE ON PRAGG

"It feels really good to qualify for the Candidates; I really wanted to fix this spot," says the 18-year-old. 

"I didn't expect to play Magnus in this tournament at all because the only way I could play him was in the final, and I didn't expect to be in the final… I will just try to give my best and see how it goes!" 

He’s coming… pic.twitter.com/K8hBtoYl6j

— GothamChess (@GothamChess) August 21, 2023

Congratulations to GM Praggnanandhaa ?? for reaching the 2023 World Cup final to face Magnus! He defeated world #2 Fabiano in the playoff to earn the coveted spot! He also defeated world #3 Hikaru earlier!

By making the final, he also automatically qualified for the Candidates… pic.twitter.com/ANuvYvuhee

— Susan Polgar (@SusanPolgar) August 21, 2023

Pragg goes through to the final! He beats Fabiano Caruana in the tiebreak and will face Magnus Carlsen now.

What a performance!@FIDE_chess #FIDEWorldCup2023

— Viswanathan Anand (@vishy64theking) August 21, 2023

BREAKING NEWS: Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa is through to the FIDE World Cup Finals!

Praggnanandhaa drew the 2nd 10'+10'' Rapid game with the Black pieces against Fabiano Caruana. Since he won the first Rapid game, Praggnanandhaa defeats the World no.2 Fabiano Caruana 3.5-2.5 in… pic.twitter.com/cg6IMHAgkr

— ChessBase India (@ChessbaseIndia) August 21, 2023

Scenes after Praggnanandhaa's epic victory against World no.2 Fabiano Caruana in the FIDE World Cup semifinals! The interviews have started.

Praggnanandhaa will face the World no.1 Magnus Carlsen in the finals tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/gOixCsSReW

— ChessBase India (@ChessbaseIndia) August 21, 2023

The emergence of India's chess prodigies and their remarkable, fearless run has to be the biggest sporting story in the last 12 months, if not this decade.
If not Sarin, then Erigaisi, if not him then Gukesh; if not Gukesh then Pragg.
Incredible. https://t.co/RkF9zJYKHA

— Mihir Vasavda (@mihirsv) August 21, 2023

The final moments as 18-year-old Indian prodigy Praggnanandhaa reached a #FIDEWorldCup final against Magnus Carlsen! pic.twitter.com/ACsAWDWvVU

— chess24.com (@chess24com) August 21, 2023

Congratulations @rpragchess for winning against Fabiano and going to the finals at the World Cup in 2023! Proud and happy!

— Ramesh RB (@Rameshchess) August 21, 2023

WOW, what a tournament the Indian wunderkid is having! 

After 4 draws, Praggnanandhaa takes the lead against Caruana and is now just a draw away from a #FIDEWorldCup final against Carlsen! pic.twitter.com/342763Ejhs

— chess24.com (@chess24com) August 21, 2023

Fabiano making moves with three seconds on the board! Remember: If it is a draw, RPagg goes to the final!

"Never play f6", they say, but this one seems to win the #FIDEWorldCup semifinal! https://t.co/Mv57ShYBtu pic.twitter.com/CGH4sy3tG1

— chess24.com (@chess24com) August 21, 2023

1 e4 e5
2 Nf3 Nc6
3 Bc4 Bc5
4 c3 Nf6
5 d3 h6
6 b4 Be7
7 Qb3 O-O
8 a4 d6
9 O-O Nb8
10 Nbd2 c6
11 Qa2 d5
12 Bb3 Qc7
13 a5 Be6
14 Re1 Nbd7
15 Bb2 Rfe8
16 h3 Bf8
17 Nf1 a6
18 Rad1 dxe4
19 dxe4 c5
20 Bxe6 Rxe6
21 Qb3 b6
22 Ra1 cxb4
23 cxb4 bxa5
24 bxa5 Rb8
25 Qa2 Bb4
26 Re2 Rb5
27 Rc1 Rc6
28 Rxc6 Qxc6
29 Qa4 Qb7
30 Ng3 Rxa5
31 Qd1 Bf8
32 Kh2 Rb5
33 Qa1 Nc5

Tension writ large on facades of both players! 

The Indian is up two pawns now! For once in this whole tie, he has a hefty advantage. 

The Indian is already a pawn up, but he's placed his pieces in a way that he could go up two pawns... that would spell trouble for the American GM.

However, Caruana has two more minutes on the clock! 

While Aleksandra Goryachkina is taking home a cool $50,000 prize her defeated opponent, Nurgyul Salimova, will make $35,000. Besides the money, both players will also earn a spot in the Candidates Tournament. 

Aleksandra Goryachkina is the winner of the 2023 FIDE Women's World Cup! ?

Aleksandra clinches the title and the $50,000 prize by winning today's tiebreaks against Nurgyul Salimova. Congratulations! ?

? Anna Shtourman pic.twitter.com/5Py16IL38X

— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) August 21, 2023

Buckle up, this is going to get frantic! 

The winner of the tiebreak plays World No 1 Magnus Carlsen in the FIDE World Cup final!

If the two tie-break games with time control of 25 minutes for each player + 10 seconds does not find a winner, the players will play two more games with a time control of 10 minutes for each player + 10 seconds increment per move, starting from move 1.

If that also does not find a winner, there will be two more games with time control of 5 minutes for each player + 3 seconds increment per move, starting from move 1. 

If that also does not find a winner, single game with a time control of 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move, starting from move 1 shall be played to determine the winner. 

Pragg now has an extra pawn and one mroe bishop on the board. 

Fabi has an additional knight, while Pragg has an additional bishop on the clock! 

After 31 moves from both players, Pragg has around 2:30 seconds on the clock. His opponent has even less, 1:30 and counting.

1 d4 Nf6
2 Bf4 d5
3 e3 Bf5
4 Bd3 Bg6
5 Nf3 e6
6 c4 Bd6
7 Bg3 dxc4
8 Bxc4 O-O
9 Nc3 Nbd7
10 O-O Bxg3
11 hxg3 c5
12 Be2 Qe7
13 Qb3 cxd4
14 Nxd4 Nc5
15 Qa3 Rfe8
16 Rfd1 a6
17 Rac1 Rad8

1 d4 Nf6
2 Bf4 d5
3 e3 Bf5
4 Bd3 Bg6
5 Nf3 e6
6 c4 Bd6
7 Bg3 dxc4
8 Bxc4 O-O
9 Nc3 Nbd7
10 O-O Bxg3
11 hxg3 c5
12 Be2 Qe7

Pragg playing iwth white pieces this time around.

55.f4? is a mistake, and Pragg can hold! #FIDEWorldCUp pic.twitter.com/BXNC0fK9eC

— chess24.com (@chess24com) August 21, 2023

Praggnanandhaa pulls off a great save against Caruana and will have the white pieces in the 2nd game of the tiebreaks! https://t.co/jJZdZ29ux9 #FIDEWorldCup pic.twitter.com/mHFMAjViL6

— chess24.com (@chess24com) August 21, 2023

50 moves on the board now. And Pragg is now making moves with three seconds left on the clock at times. Insane chess!!!

Nurgyul Salimova misses a great opportunity to prevail against Aleksandra Goryachkina in a much better position, and the first rapid game ends in a draw. #FIDEWorldCup

? Stev Bonhage pic.twitter.com/Ud190n9m6e

— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) August 21, 2023

Nurgyul Salimova and Aleksandra Goryachkina agree to a draw! 

She might be the rank underdog in the women's final, but Salimova is already edging ot a win in the first tiebreak game. 

Of course, Goryachkina will have another rapid game to equalise.

But what a story this will be if Salimova manages to clinch victory.

Aleksandra Goryachkina is the World No 3.

Her rival Nurgyul Salimova is World No 47!! 

Goryachkina's rating is 2557, while her opponent is rated over 150 points lower at 2403. 

And while the 24-year-old Goryachkina is a GM, 20-year-old Salimova is an IM.

No exchange of pieces yet on the board between Pragg and Caruana. Although white had gained a lot of space on the queen's side. Meanwhile, the two advanced pawns on the fifth rank are well supported by a pawn chain, the knights and the two bishops.

India's Praggnanandhaa is playing with black pieces in the first tiebreak game. He'll play white in the second.

1 e4 e5
2 Nf3 Nc6
3 Bc4 Bc5
4 c3 Nf6
5 d3 h6
6 O-O d6
7 Re1 O-O
8 h3 a6
9 a4 Ba7
10 Nbd2 Ne7

Aleksandra Goryachkina and Nurgyul Salimova are also playing a tiebreaker to decide the women's world cup winner! 

Two rapid games coming up first.

If the two classical games do not throw up a winner, two tie-break games shall be played with time control of 25 minutes for each player + 10 seconds increment per move, starting from move 1. 

If that also does not find a winner, the players will play two more games with a time control of 10 minutes for each player + 10 seconds increment per move, starting from move 1.

If that also does not find a winner, there will be two more games with time control of 5 minutes for each player + 3 seconds increment per move, starting from move 1. 

If that also does not find a winner, single game with a time control of 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move, starting from move 1 shall be played to determine the winner. 

The game with 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move is repeated until there's a winner.

And we're back with our liveblog for the tiebreaker between India's Praggnanandhaa and Fabiano Caruana. 

Maybe you'd like to listen to our podcast ?? with five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand on the future of Indian chess.

? Click on this link to be redirected to the Spotify episode. ?

CArlsen is asked about extending his hand to an invisible person at the start of the game. He says with a smile: "It was just a joke."

The World No 1 is asked about losing a piece in the endgame: "I blundered. I was playing on because I thought there was absolutely no risk. And I thought that I finally triangulated and got in a winning position. It was quite a rude awakening to see the 56.d6 move cause I always though that I would go and pick up the pawn with the king. When he played it, I immediately saw his idea. Fortunately, it did not take me long to realise the position was an easy draw after."

If the two classical games do not throw up a winner, two tie-break games shall be played with time control of 25 minutes for each player + 10 seconds increment per move, starting from move 1. 

If that also does not find a winner, the players will play two more games with a time control of 10 minutes for each player + 10 seconds increment per move, starting from move 1.

If that also does not find a winner, there will be two more games with time control of 5 minutes for each player + 3 seconds increment per move, starting from move 1. 

If that also does not find a winner, single game with a time control of 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move, starting from move 1 shall be played to determine the winner. 

The game with 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move is repeated until there's a winner.

So we will have a tiebreaker tomorrow to decide who will seal the second spot in the FIDE World Cup final! 

Ukrainian player Anna Muzychuk manages to seal a spot in the Women's Candidates Tournament with a draw against the Chinese player! 

Magnus Carlsen ekes out a draw against home favourite Nijat Abasov and reaches the final of the FIDE World Cup for the first time in his career. He had won yesterday's game, and that was enough to seal him a final spot.