In a thrilling start to the prestigious Candidates Tournament in Paphos, Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa and American GM Fabiano Caruana top the standings after the first round. Praggnanandhaa opened his campaign with a commanding victory over Dutch GM Anish Giri, breaking through Giri’s defenses to secure a full point. This impressive win places him alongside Caruana and Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov at the top of the leaderboard.
The first round saw a series of exciting games. Sindarov, the World Cup champion, demonstrated his sharp tactical skills by turning the tables on Russia’s Andrey Esipenko. Meanwhile, Caruana, one of the pre-event favorites, delivered a notable upset by defeating fellow American Hikaru Nakamura, who is more known for his streaming presence than competitive play. The only draw in the open section came from the encounter between Germany’s Matthias Bluebaum and China’s Wei Yi, sharing the point after a balanced game.
In the women’s section, which runs concurrently, Indian Grandmaster and Women’s World Cup champion Divya Deshmukh drew with Ukraine’s Anna Muzychuk, who was a last-minute replacement for Koneru Humpy. R. Vaishali also shared the point with Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva after a tense game. The day was marked by multiple draws in the women’s field, including Russia’s Aleksandra Goryachkina versus Kateryna Lagno, and the Chinese pair Zhu Jiner versus Tan Zhongyi.
Despite recent struggles, Praggnanandhaa showcased resilience and skill, bouncing back strongly. His victory over Giri was marked by a strategic opening, the Grand Prix Attack, which gave him a time advantage and eventually a winning pawn in the rook-and-minor-pieces endgame after Giri blundered under pressure. Caruana’s win was equally impressive; he used precise calculation to convert a complex middle game against Nakamura, who appeared more active in recent times but was restricted by passive bishop placement.
The tournament aims to determine the challengers for the upcoming World Championship matches, with D. Gukesh and Ju Wenjun currently reigning champions. The results from Round 1 set an exciting tone for the battles ahead.