Praggnanandhaa Secures 2026 Candidates Spot in London Thriller

• Indian GM R Praggnanandhaa qualified for the 2026 Candidates Tournament by winning the FIDE Circuit 2025.
• Praggnanandhaa secured his spot by tying for first place in the London Chess Classic Open.
• He will be the sole Indian representative in the Open Candidates 2026.
• Divya Deshmukh, Koneru Humpy, and Vaishali Rameshbabu qualified for the Women's Candidates.
• The 2026 Candidates Tournament will be held in Cyprus from March 28 – April 16.

Why It Matters: Praggnanandhaa's qualification secures India's spot in a top global chess event.