13 Aug 2026 (Navroze Bureau) : Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa defeated Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov in the second round of the 2026 Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis, securing his first victory of the tournament.
Pragg Wins Marathon Battle
Praggnanandhaa prevailed after a lengthy 95-move encounter that remained closely contested for much of the game.
The Indian grandmaster gradually built pressure in the endgame before capitalising on a crucial mistake from Sindarov on the 82nd move.
Moves Into Joint Lead
The victory took Praggnanandhaa to 1.5 points after two rounds, putting him in a five-way tie at the top alongside Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, Levon Aronian and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.
A Significant Win for Pragg
Sindarov is a major force in elite chess and a World Championship challenger, making the victory an important result for the 20-year-old Indian grandmaster.
Praggnanandhaa had begun the tournament with a draw against American Grandmaster Sam Sevian.
Sinquefield Cup Continues
The Sinquefield Cup is the penultimate event of the 2026 Grand Chess Tour. With five players sharing the lead after two rounds, the tournament remains tightly contested.