Praggnanandhaa Clinches Superbet Classic Title After Dramatic Tiebreaker Victory

Bucharest, May 22, 2025 — Indian chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa secured a historic win at the Superbet Classic, marking his first-ever title on the Grand Chess Tour (GCT) circuit. The 18-year-old grandmaster triumphed over France's Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in a tense tiebreaker to emerge victorious.

Praggnanandhaa’s steady performance throughout the tournament earned him 5.5 points, drawing his final classical game against veteran Levon Aronian. With Vachier-Lagrave and Alireza Firouzja also finishing at 5.5 points, the event moved to a three-way tiebreak.

The tiebreaker format consisted of five-minute blitz games with a two-second increment per move. In this high-pressure setting, Praggnanandhaa showcased composure and tactical brilliance, ultimately outplaying his opponents and lifting the coveted trophy.

This victory marks another significant milestone in Praggnanandhaa’s meteoric rise in global chess and cements his place among the world’s elite.