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Journalism of Courage
Praggnanandhaa R gained 12 rating points, thanks to his performance at the UzChess Cup tournament in Tashkent, which helped him climb to the world no 4 spot for the first time in his career in the latest FIDE ratings list released by the global governing body of chess on July 1. Praggnanandhaa thus is the top-ranked Indian player in the FIDE ratings list in classical chess, leapfrogging compatriots Arjun Erigaisi and world champion Gukesh into fourth spot.
While Praggnanandhaa has 2779 points, Arjun and Gukesh both have 2776 points. The Indian trio are ranked 4th, 5th, and 6th in the standings.
Recently, in an interview with The Indian Express, Praggnanandhaa had spoken about how the India No 1 position was something that “could change after every game”. Praggnanandhaa was asked about the joke in chess circles about how the toughest position in chess to hang on to is India number one.
“This India number one can change every game. I don’t think it matters who’s India number one right now. I don’t think it really matters. For me more than being India number one, it’s about winning this tournament that makes me happier. Of course, rating does matter,” Praggnanandhaa had said.
Praggnanandhaa has won three tournaments already this year, including the Tata Steel Chess tournament in Wijk aan Zee in February and the Superbet Chess Classic Romania in May earlier in the year.
What is remarkable about the current rating list is that for the first time since 1971 — when FIDE, the global chess governing body, began publishing its rating lists — there are no Russians ranked in the classical world top 10. The highest rated Russian in the list at the moment is two-time world championship challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi who was 10th last month but finds himself 14th in the current list.
READ MORE: Praggnanandhaa interview with The Indian Express | ‘We’ve got that respect now (from Nakamura, Caruana)… they don’t take massive risks as earlier against us now’
Meanwhile, Aravindh, who was briefly among the top 10 spots in the live ratings fell to no 24th spot.
Dutch grandmaster Anish Giri made a return to the world’s top 10 after over a year. In the women’s ratings Anna Muzychuk returned to women’s world #4 after over six years.
