Praggnanandhaa Faces Tough Challenge as Candidates Tournament Begins

• Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa is India's sole representative in the Open section of the eight-player Candidates Tournament.
• The tournament will determine the challenger to reigning world champion D Gukesh in a double round-robin format.
• American GM Fabiano Caruana is a favorite, with Hikaru Nakamura and Anish Giri also strong contenders.
• Praggnanandhaa, after a recent dip in form, has taken a long break and prepared with his team for the event.
• The event features a total prize pool of USD 1 million, with the first round scheduled for Sunday.