Praggnanandhaa GCT Finals 2026 campaign opened with a hard-fought draw against Germany’s Vincent Keymer in the first classical semifinal game. The two 21-year-olds battled through a complex English Opening before the game eventually ended without a winner. Praggnanandhaa entered the game aggressively, but Keymer gained a slight positional advantage. A long think by Keymer gave the Indian grandmaster a significant advantage on the clock. Praggnanandhaa later launched an attack that created a sharp material imbalance, but Keymer defended successfully. The 2026 Grand Chess Tour Finals features Praggnanandhaa, Keymer, Fabiano Caruana and Wesley So in an eight-game knockout format. The tournament has a $450,000 prize pool, with the champion receiving $200,000. The semifinal between Praggnanandhaa and Keymer continued on Day 2, with the Indian star aiming to reach the GCT Finals title match.
Praggnanandhaa GCT Finals 2026: Draws Keymer in Semifinal
