ST. LOUIS, Aug 18 — Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa held a hard-fought draw with Fabiano Caruana with the black pieces in the seventh round of the Sinquefield Cup, part of the Grand Chess Tour, and remained joint second on four points. The result moved Praggnanandhaa closer to securing a berth in the Grand Chess Tour finale scheduled later this year, taking his score to 4/7.
Wesley So extended his strong run by drawing with the solid Anish Giri, leaving So a half-point clear of the chasing pack. Alongside Praggnanandhaa, Caruana and France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave sit in joint second, each on four points. Giri is ninth with three points, a half-point ahead of his compatriot Jorden van Foreest, who is currently last.
The Caruana–Praggnanandhaa game sprang from a Ruy Lopez and soon shifted into an early endgame. Caruana pressed to create chances but the middlegame trade of queens and subsequent exchanges reduced the position’s winning potential.
Pieces were exchanged at steady intervals and Praggnanandhaa found an objectively level setup without taking unnecessary risks. The game was agreed drawn after 56 moves; although Praggnanandhaa emerged with slightly more material at one stage, the simplified ending left no realistic route to victory.
The draw keeps the tournament standings tightly contested as players jostle for places that could determine qualification for the season-ending Grand Chess Tour final. (PTI)
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/08/19/pragg-draws-with-caruana-in-round-7-of-sinquefield-cup/
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Publish Date: 2026-08-19 08:18:00
