R Praggnanandhaa Opens Up On Candidates Disappointment: 'Felt Like I Just Want To Enjoy Chess Now'

Published 4 June 2026 · local

R Praggnanandhaa Opens Up On Candidates Disappointment: 'Felt Like I Just Want To Enjoy Chess Now' Published By, Last Updated: June 04, 2026, 16:30 IST

R Praggnanandhaa Opens Up On Candidates Disappointment: 'Felt Like I Just Want To Enjoy Chess Now' Published By, Last Updated: June 04, 2026, 16:30 IST R Praggnanandhaa reflects on missing the Candidates title, targets Norway Chess, plans lighter schedule after burnout, and says sister R Vaishali’s success helped him cope Indian chess GM R Praggnanandhaa (PTI) Indian chess ace R Praggnanandhaa on Thursday admitted that it has been hard to come to terms with missing out on the Candidates Tournament title, having given “everything" to earn the right to challenge D Gukesh for the World Championship crown, only to be left deeply disappointed. The 20-year-old Grandmaster was among the eight players who competed in the Candidates in Cyprus earlier this year but endured a difficult campaign, finishing seventh as Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov claimed the title and the right to face Gukesh for the world crown. R Praggnanandhaa now has an opportunity to put that disappointment behind him at Norway Chess, where he has emerged as a title contender. He currently sits third with two rounds remaining, just two points behind leader Wesley So, and can kickstart the new two-year World Championship cycle on a positive note with a title. “Yeah, certainly that (disappointment of not doing well in Candidates) is something that I have to deal with because in the last two years I was thinking only about this cycle… I sort of gave everything for this.

There was nothing else I was thinking about," said the Chennai-based GM, reflecting on the disappointment of missing out in the Candidates. “You can also see from the tournaments I played last year that I was just going for this (Candidates qualification)… one spot in FIDE circuit and it is disappointing the way it ends like this. But, yeah, it is what it is. I have to try and get back to playing tournaments," he added. After investing so much time and energy into qualifying for the Candidates, Praggnanandhaa said he now wants to rediscover the joy of the game without constantly looking ahead to the next qualification race. “After the Candidates, I felt like I just want to enjoy chess now. I just want to play and have fun. Last year, I was just going for that one thing but now I feel I don’t want to think about the next cycle… all the way from now I just want to chill and enjoy chess," he said. Learning From ‘Akka’ While many elite players take months to recover from the agony of a major setback, Praggnanandhaa said he tends to bounce back relatively quickly, drawing strength from the success of his sister R Vaishali, whose triumph in the Women’s Candidates and qualification for a World Championship match against defending champion Ju Wenjun provided a welcome source of comfort. “I am usually quick (to recover from disappointments).