It’s a physically draining sport: R Praggnanandhaa

Warsaw, May 10

Young Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has called for a robust financial backing for chess, debunking the common concept that players require minimal monetary support to train and excel in the sport. Praggnanandhaa recently competed in the FIDE Candidates in Toronto for the first time. “Chess training may look easy and cheap but it’s a very expensive sport due to all the travel,” said the 18-year-old.

“My parents were facing financial issues before I got my first sponsor. It was difficult because my sister was also playing and travelling,” added Praggnanandhaa, whose elder sister R Vaishali finished joint runner-up in the Women’s Candidates.

The Chennai teenager also said that to play 14 rounds of chess a player needed to be in the best physical shape.

“To prepare for Candidates, I was doing physical sports. I was also doing exercise during the camps. I love playing badminton. Recently, I started playing beach volleyball,” he said. “You need to be ready for long tournaments because playing 14 games is not easy. Keeping focus throughout is something we are working on. Also, 14 games are very tiring. The physical aspect comes when you’re playing one game for five-six hours. If you do that for the whole tournament, it’s obviously very tiring to concentrate,” he added. — PTI

Pragg finishes third as Wei wins rapid section

Warsaw: Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa emerged as the best performing Indian as he finished sole third in the rapid section of the Rapid and Blitz Poland. Wei Yi of China continued his brilliant form and won the rapid section after scoring wins over World Championship challenger D Gukesh and Nodirbek Abdusattorov before settling for a draw against Praggnanandhaa. World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen had to be content with the second place. Arjun Erigaisi was tied for the sixth spot followed by Gukesh.