Caruana leads Grand Chess Tour Finals after defeating Praggnanandhaa

Fabiano Caruana took a commanding lead in the 2026 Grand Chess Tour Finals after defeating R Praggnanandhaa in the first classical game of their championship match on August 25 in St. Louis. The American grandmaster, the defending tour champion, now leads the final 6-0 in a race to 28 points across eight games. The pivotal moment in their encounter came during a queen and rook endgame. Praggnanandhaa, playing with the black pieces, made a critical error on his 28th move, allowing Caruana to force a series of exchanges that left him with a decisive material advantage.