Over Rs 1 cr in pocket, yet Pragg calls Clutch Chess campaign 'little disappointing'

NEW DELHI: Indian Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa walked away with over Rs 1 crore in prize money after finishing runner-up at the Clutch Chess: Champions Showdown in Saint Louis, USA.

However, despite the handsome reward, the young Indian chess star admitted that he was slightly disappointed to miss out on the title.

Praggnanandhaa finished second with 19 points, just 1.5 points behind Uzbekistan's Javokhir Sindarov, who staged an impressive comeback on the final day to claim the championship with 20.5 points.

Fabiano Caruana finished third with 16.5 points, while Hikaru Nakamura settled for fourth place with 12 points.

Reacting to his performance in a video shared on X, Praggnanandhaa said, "The clutch chess event has just concluded, and I finished second in the event. It was a really exciting event with a lot of crazy games. Congrats to Javokhir. He played really well at the end on the last day when it mattered the most. And as for me, uh, it is a little disappointing, I was so close to the title, but nevertheless, I'm happy that I fought till the end, and I kept the chances alive."

Despite missing out on the championship, Praggnanandhaa earned USD 109,000, approximately Rs 1.04 crore, including his tournament prize and performance bonuses.

Sindarov took home the biggest reward of USD 168,000 (around Rs 1.60 crore), while Caruana earned USD 81,000 (approximately Rs 77.11 lakh).

Nakamura finished fourth with USD 67,000 (around Rs 63.78 lakh).

The tournament's prize structure included base rewards, additional bonuses for daily victories and a special Champion's Jackpot.

The base prize for the winner was USD 125,000, while the runner-up was entitled to USD 94,000.

Players also received bonuses for wins, with the reward increasing from USD 1,000 per victory on the opening day to USD 3,000 on the final day.

Money accumulated from drawn games went into a jackpot reserved exclusively for the champion.

The final day proved decisive in the title race.

Sindarov began the day 2.5 points behind Praggnanandhaa but produced three wins and three draws to turn the standings around.

His victory over Nakamura with the black pieces, featuring an attacking display in the King's Indian Defence, was among the tournament's standout performances.

Praggnanandhaa also had opportunities to stay ahead but could not secure the crucial results in his final games.

A draw against Caruana and a defeat to the American in the final round ended his title hopes.

The victory gives Sindarov valuable momentum ahead of his upcoming World Championship match against India's D Gukesh, scheduled to begin in Geneva on November 24, 2026.