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Praggnanandhaa Wins Superbet Chess Classic Romania 2025
Praggnanandhaa won the Superbet Chess Classic Romania 2025, grabbing his first-ever Grand Chess Tour (GCT) title.
19-year-old chess sensation Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu has done it again! The event ended in a dramatic three-way playoff with Alireza Firouzja and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.
This is Praggnanandhaa’s second major title of the year. His performance also helped him maintain his top spot in the FIDE Circuit 2025.
A Battle of Chess Giants in Bucharest
The tournament took place in Bucharest, Romania, from May 7–16.
It featured ten top-level grandmasters, and the competition was fierce. For most of the event, no clear leader emerged.
But in the second-to-last round, Praggnanandhaa defeated Wesley So in a key match. This win gave him a slight lead going into the final round, just half a point ahead of Caruana, Firouzja, and Vachier-Lagrave.
Final Round Drama
In the last round, Praggnanandhaa drew against Levon Aronian, ensuring at least a share of first place.
Fabiano Caruana tried to catch up but couldn’t break through against World Champion Gukesh D and had to settle for a draw.
Alireza Firouzja took big risks against Bogdan-Daniel Deac. His gamble paid off when Deac made a big mistake on move 52, handing Firouzja the win.
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave also won his game, defeating Jan-Krzysztof Duda after a slip in a complicated position.
This led to a three-way tie at the top: Praggnanandhaa, Firouzja, and Vachier-Lagrave.
The Playoff
A playoff was held to determine the winner. It was a round-robin format, with games played at 5 minutes plus a 2-second increment.
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In Game 1, Firouzja vs. Praggnanandhaa, the Giuoco Piano opening led to a hard-fought draw.
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In Game 2, Vachier-Lagrave vs. Firouzja, another draw followed. Firouzja defended well in the Caro-Kann Defense.
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In Game 3, Praggnanandhaa faced Vachier-Lagrave. It was intense. Maxime missed a key chance to trade rooks, and a few moves later, blundered.
Praggnanandhaa didn’t miss his chance. He won the game and claimed the Superbet Chess Classic Romania title!
Congratulations to Praggnanandhaa, a true rising star in the chess world.
Photos: Lennart Ootes, FIDE_chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
