10 June,2026 09:05 AM IST | New Delhi | PTI
Viswanathan Anand, D Gukesha and R Praggnanandhaa. Pics/Atul Kamble, AFP, PTI
Legendary Viswanathan Anand hailed R Praggnanandhaa's highly competitive style of play, and urged the struggling world champion D Gukesh to take a leaf out of the book of newly-crowned Norway Chess champion to script a turnaround.
Praggnanandhaa recently became the first Indian chess player to annex the Norway title, but Gukesh finished sixth in the tournament. "I'm delighted that Praggnanandhaa has won Norway Chess in an impressive style. I am very happy at the spectacular turnaround [he made] in the last four rounds. He is playing the game with some amazingly impressive concepts and style," Anand, told PTI.
Anand advised Gukesh, who is scheduled to face Javokhir Sindarov in his title defence later this year, to take "inspiration" from Praggnanandhaa.
"Praggnanandhaa is playing better than Gukesh, but it can change. There will be form swings. Gukesh seems to be stuck a bit. I think he can take inspiration from Pragg. "He can see that if you persist with hard work then at some point things will change," he added.
The five-time world champion said Praggnanandhaa's attitude helps him produce some interesting concepts.
"It's the same Pragg in the last one-and-a-half years. Sometimes he plays hard and comes out with interesting concepts, and he is always ready for a fight. The results might not always work out. In fact, after the first six rounds, you can't see much difference from the last 8 or 9 months, but there was this great turnaround and that was really nice to see as he played some very interesting chess."
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