Praggnanandhaa Falls Short in Chess World Cup Final as Carlsen Claims Maiden Title

Baku: Magnus Carlsen won his first Chess World Cup title on August 24, 2023, defeating India’s R Praggnanandhaa in a thrilling tie-breaker in Baku.

The match was evenly contested, with two draws in classical time control games. Carlsen then won the tie-breaker 2-1, despite battling food poisoning.

Praggnanandhaa is the runner-up of the 2023 FIDE World Cup! 🥈

Congratulations to the 18-year-old Indian prodigy on an impressive tournament! 👏
On his way to the final, Praggnanandhaa beat, among others, world #2 Hikaru Nakamura and #3 Fabiano Caruana! By winning the silver… pic.twitter.com/zJh9wQv5pS

— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) August 24, 2023

Praggnanandhaa’s performance was still impressive, becoming the first Indian since Viswanathan Anand to reach the final. He also had a strong tie-breaker record, but Carlsen’s experience proved decisive.

This victory is a major achievement for Carlsen, who is now the only player to have won all three major chess titles (World Championship, World Cup, and Candidates Tournament).

It is also a sign of the strength of Indian chess, with Praggnanandhaa and other young players making waves on the international stage.