Praggnanandhaa Admits Dip in Form, Cites Continuous Tournaments for Poor Show

• Indian chess star R Praggnanandhaa acknowledges a recent decline in his performance, stating his play is not at its previous level.
• He attributes the dip to a demanding schedule of continuous tournaments throughout 2025, leaving little time for reflection or improvement.
• Despite a strong first half of 2025 with major titles, his momentum slowed in events like the Grand Chess Tour finals and World Cup in Goa.
• Praggnanandhaa is not worried about the 2026 Candidates tournament, as he will have a two-month break in February and March to prepare.
• He finished sixth in both the Rapid and Blitz sections of the 2026 Tata Steel Chess India in Kolkata.

Why It Matters: Praggnanandhaa admits a dip in form due to continuous play, but is optimistic about his upcoming break.