Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu Triumphs at St. Louis Rapid & Blitz

Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu won the 2026 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz on Thursday, marking his first title in this event after leading the tournament from start to finish.

The Indian grandmaster clinched first place with a round to spare, finishing 1½ points ahead of Javokhir Sindarov. Praggnanandhaa earned $50,000 and 13 Grand Chess Tour points, avoiding a playoff.

This victory improved his standing in the overall Grand Chess Tour rankings, placing him second behind Fabiano Caruana. Praggnanandhaa's performance followed a challenging start to the year, including a tie for sixth at the Candidates Tournament and a win at the Norway Chess super-tournament.