World Cup chess: Praggnanandhaa shocks Caruana, to meet Carlsen in final

In a scintillating display of power-packed chess, R Praggnanandhaa knocked out World No. 3 Fabiano Caruana of the United States in the semifinals of the FIDE Chess World Cup here on Tuesday.

The gifted 18-year-old will take on World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen of Norway in the first game of the title clash on Tuesday. The finals will also comprise two Classical games and a tie would result in tie-breaks under faster time control.

In an intensely fought semifinal tie-break, Praggu defeated Caruana 3.5-2.5 score.

Praggu also earned the qualification slot for the Candidates, an 8-player event to decide the Challenger for the reigning World Champion Ding Liren of China. The top three finishers from the World Cup get a direct entry to the Candidates.

Praggu thus becomes only the second Indian after five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand to qualify for the Candidates. If it can be recollected that Praggu had also knocked out World No. 2 Hikaru Nakmura in this tournament.

Anand, who had been mentoring Praggu under the Westbridge Anand Chess Academy, was delighted for his ward. "Candidates was always our target but never thought that it would be this early”.

Praggu's prowess under faster time controls is well known and it was expected that Caruana would try to wrap up the proceedings in the two Classical games. Praggu showed great enterprise in getting the much needed draws in both the games, late on Sunday night.

On Monday, both the games played under 25-minute plus 10-second increment per move ended in deadlock, forcing further two tie-breaks under 10 minutes each with 10-second increment for every move.

In the first game of the tie-break, Caruana built a good initiative and the fortunes tilted heavily in his favour and victory loomed large for him. However, a slight inaccuracy and Praggu bounced back into the game with a timely rook sacrifice to force a fantastic draw.

In the third game, Praggu switched tactics and opened with the King pawn. Caruana, renowned for his splendid opening repertoire, wasted no time in equalising. Just when a draw appeared the likely outcome, Praggu cashed in on a slight inaccuracy by Caruana. It was one of the longest King-walks where Praggu’s King travelled all the way from the King-side into Caruana’s queen-side to escort one of his pawns, despite the presence of the queens and bishops on the board.

In the fourth game, Caruana, needing a victory desperately to stay in the tournament, kept the tension on the board for quite a while without any exchanges. Praggu built up the pressure but went a bit astray, allowing Caruana some counter-play. Caruana tried all tricks in the book in a rook and knight versus a rook and bishop ending to swindle Praggu but the Indian defended dourly, forcing a draw on the 82nd turn by repetition of moves.