Magnus Carlsen beats R Praggnanandhaa in thrilling tiebreak to win maiden FIDE Chess World Cup title

Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa's remarkable journey in the FIDE World Cup came to a heartbreaking end, as he faced defeat against the world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in the tie-break on Thursday following a deadlock in the classical games.

After beating Praggnanandha in the first tiebreak in 45 moves, Carlsen decided to play it safe in the second, forcing a draw to win the title.

Carlsen celebrated his inaugural World Cup triumph, a significant addition to his already impressive collection of five World Championships. Following the stalemate in the classical games held on Tuesday and Wednesday, the contest progressed to a tie-break on Thursday where Carlsen produced a magnificent performance; it took only 22 moves for Carlsen to force a draw in the second tiebreak to win the title.

Praggnanandhaa's incredible performance throughout the tournament included notable victories over world No.2 Hikaru Nakamura and world No.3 Fabiano Caruana, culminating in a finals clash against Carlsen.

Moreover, Praggnanandhaa's achievements in the ongoing event secured his qualification for the Candidates 2024 tournament, scheduled to take place in Toronto, Canada.

This accomplishment solidified Praggnanandhaa's position as the third youngest player, joining the ranks of legendary figures Bobby Fischer and Carlsen, to earn a spot in the prestigious Candidates tournament.