New Delhi: R Praggnanandhaa, 12-year-old from Chennai, came close to becoming the youngest grandmaster in the world during the World Junior (U-20) Chess Championship in Italy. However, the chess prodigy faced disappointment as he failed to secure a win in the final round of the tournament.
Praggnanandhaa, who secured eight points from 11 rounds, ended the tournament as joint second, and fourth overall. He had to settle for a draw against grandmaster Rasmus Svane of Germany in the final round.
However, another Indian Arvind Chithambaram, a grandmaster from Chennai, finished joint first and ended up with a bronze medal. He finished behind Aryan Tari, a grandmaster from Norway, and Manuel Petrosyan Armenia’s grandmaster.
Three Indians in top ten players of the World Juniors 2017. Now that’s something to be proud of! pic.twitter.com/57os73ntX8
— ChessBase India (@ChessbaseIndia) November 26, 2017
If Praggnanandhaa, who is 12 years and three months old, had won the tournament he would have become the youngest grandmaster bettering Russia’s Sergey Karjakin (who then represented Ukraine) record at 12 years and seven months which he achieved in 2002.
12-year-old Praggnanandhaa scores 8.0/11 at the World Juniors 2017, remains unbeaten, scores his maiden GM norm and finishes fourth! What a fantastic performance.
Photos: @amrutamokal pic.twitter.com/Dc3YksvqfW
— ChessBase India (@ChessbaseIndia) November 26, 2017
Meanwhile, Praggnanandhaa still has a chance of creating the record as he has three months up his sleeve to secure the mandatory two more grandmaster norms.
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