New Delhi: Chess prodigy Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa clinched the number one spot among India’s chess players following his victory over World Champion Ding Liren.
The 18-year-old defeated China’s Liren with the black pieces at the 2024 Tata Steel Chess Tournament on Wednesday and surpassed the legendary Viswanathan Anand to take the number one spot.
Praggnanandhaa was the second Indian after Anand to beat a reigning world champion. Coincidentally, this is not the first time Praggnanandhaa has beaten Ding. The previous occasion was at the same event last year, with Ding then being the world No. 2 player.
This was the first time in his career that Praggnanandhaa has taken the India No. 1 spot, but he has been building up to the achievement.
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Big cheers to @rpraggnachess for this remarkable triumph against World Champion, Ding Liren. At the young age of 18, you haven’t just dominated the game but also risen to become India’s top-rated player.
Best wishes for your upcoming challenges. Continue to bring glory to India… pic.twitter.com/W7NAqSYnDX— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) January 17, 2024
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