Praggnanandhaa Maintains Lead at Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz

Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu has retained his lead in the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz tournament after the first day of blitz, scoring 6 out of 9 rounds. This performance has allowed him to extend his lead over Javokhir Sindarov by 1½ points.

Sindarov remains the closest competitor, while Wesley So has fallen further behind. Levon Aronian also performed well, finishing just half a point below Sindarov, but his earlier results leave him 3½ points off the overall lead. With nine blitz rounds still to play, Praggnanandhaa and Sindarov are the primary contenders for the top position.

Praggnanandhaa began the day with a victory over Vincent Keymer, who struggled under time pressure. Meanwhile, Sindarov started with a draw against Aronian. The day saw Sindarov achieve three consecutive wins, but he missed a crucial opportunity to close the gap when he faced Praggnanandhaa in round eight. Both players drew their final games of the day, leaving Praggnanandhaa in a strong position heading into the remaining rounds.