Archive · 21 Aug 2026
Praggnanandhaa Finishes Second After Armageddon Draw
Praggnanandhaa played Wesley So for the Sinquefield Cup title.
Their regular game ended in a draw.
They then played two faster games, and both also ended in draws.
Because the score was still tied, they played one final Armageddon game.
Praggnanandhaa had the White pieces and needed to win.
The game was drawn, which meant So won under the special rules.
Praggnanandhaa therefore finished second in the tournament.
He still qualified for the Grand Chess Tour’s final event after scoring 35.5 points overall.
R Praggnanandhaa lost the Sinquefield Cup final tiebreaker to American Wesley So in Armageddon.
Praggnanandhaa drew with Anish Giri in the final classical game, forcing a tiebreaker against So.
Both rapid tiebreak games ended in draws, leaving the score tied at 1-1.
In Armageddon, Praggnanandhaa had five minutes with White but could not win; the draw secured So’s title.
Praggnanandhaa finished first in the final Grand Chess Tour event, qualified for the grand finale, and scored 35.5 tour points.
- Who
- Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa and American Grandmaster Wesley So; Anish Giri also played in the final classical round.
- What
- Wesley So won the Sinquefield Cup tiebreaker, while Praggnanandhaa finished second.
- When
- After the tournament’s final classical game and subsequent rapid and Armageddon tiebreakers.
- Where
- St. Louis, United States.
- Why
- The rapid games were tied, so an Armageddon game was required; under the rules, a draw allowed Black to win, and So had Black.
- Tournament
- Sinquefield Cup
- Winner
- Wesley So
- Runner-up
- R Praggnanandhaa
- Tiebreak score
- The two rapid games ended 1-1 on points.
- Armageddon result
- The final game was drawn, giving the win to So because he had Black.
- Tour points
- Praggnanandhaa scored 35.5 points in the Grand Chess Tour.
- Qualification
- Praggnanandhaa qualified for the Grand Chess Tour grand finale.