How Praggnanandhaa outfoxed Anish Giri as Indians stay unbeaten in Round 1

India's R Praggnanandhaa delivered a tactical masterclass on the opening day of the 2026 FIDE Candidates, defeating Dutch No. 1 Anish Giri.

Key takeaways

Quick scan — what you need to know:

• India's R Praggnanandhaa delivered a tactical masterclass on the opening day of the 2026 FIDE Candidates, defeating Dutch No.
• 1 Anish Giri.
• While only three games in the Open section saw decisive results, Praggnanandhaa's clinical precision highlighted a formidable start to his campaign.
• The Women's section saw all four games end in draws.

Background

What led here, in plain terms:

• India's R Praggnanandhaa delivered a tactical masterclass on the opening day of the 2026 FIDE Candidates, defeating Dutch No.
• 1 Anish Giri.
• While only three games in the Open section saw decisive results, Praggnanandhaa's clinical precision highlighted a formidable start to his campaign.
• The Women's section saw all four games end in draws.

Why it matters

Why readers and decision-makers should care:

• India's R Praggnanandhaa delivered a tactical masterclass on the opening day of the 2026 FIDE Candidates, defeating Dutch No.
• 1 Anish Giri.
• While only three games in the Open section saw decisive results, Praggnanandhaa's clinical precision highlighted a formidable start to his campaign.