R Praggnanandhaa Biography: Personal Life, Career, Age, Height, Girlfriend, Facts & Networth

R Praggnanandhaa Biography

Grandmaster of chess Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa was born in India on August 10, of the year 2005. Rameshbabu was a chess prodigy who, at the age of 10, became the youngest international master ever, and at the age of 12, he became the second-youngest grandmaster ever. When R Praggnanandhaa defeated Magnus Carlsen in a quick game at the Airthings Masters Quick Chess Tournament on February 22, of the year 2022, he did so at the age of 16, setting a record that was later surpassed by Gukesh D on October 16, of the year 2022.

Chess Career

R Praggnanandhaa, a young Indian chess player, achieved numerous titles and accomplishments throughout his career. R Praggnanandhaa won the World Youth Chess Championship Under-8 title in the year 2013, earning him the title of FIDE Master. In the year 2016, R Praggnanandhaa became the youngest international master in history at 10 years, 10 months, and 19 days.

R Praggnanandhaa achieved his first grandmaster norm at the World Junior Chess Championship in the month of November of the year 2017, finishing fourth with 8 points. In the month of June of the year 2018, R Praggnanandhaa achieved his third and final norm at the Gredine Open in Urtijëi, Italy, becoming the second-youngest person ever to achieve the rank of grandmaster.

In the year 2018, Praggnanandhaa was invited to the Magistral de León Masters in Spain for a four-game rapid match against Wesley So. R Praggnanandhaa tied for third place with GM Alder Escobar Forero and IM Denys Shmelov in the Charlotte Chess Center’s Winter 2018 GM Norm Invitational. In the month of July of the year 2019, R Praggnanandhaa won the Xtracon Chess Open in Denmark, scoring 8½/10 points. In the month of December of the year 2019, R Praggnanandhaa became the second-youngest person to achieve a rating of 2600 at the age of 14 years, 3 months, and 24 days.

In the month of April of the year 2021, Praggnanandhaa won the Polgar Challenge, the first leg of the Julius Baer Challengers Chess Tour, scoring 15.5/19, 1.5 points ahead of the next best-placed competitors. This win helped qualify him for the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour on 24 April of the year 2021, where R Praggnanandhaa finished in 10th place with a score of 7/15 (+4-5=6).

Praggnanandhaa entered the Chess World Cup 2021 as the 90th seed, defeating GM Gabriel Sargissian 2–0 in round 2. R Praggnanandhaa also defeated World Champion Magnus Carlsen in the online Airthings Masters rapid tournament of the Champions Chess Tour 2022. In January of the year 2023, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa played in the Tata Steel Chess Masters 2023, defeating a 2800-rated grandmaster, Ding Liren, his first time doing so in a classical game.

In the Chess World Cup of the year 2023, Praggnanandhaa became the world’s youngest player to reach the Chess World Cup final, defeating Fabiano Caruana in tie-breaks in the semi-final. Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa’s play against former classical World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen secured him second place and qualification for the 2024 Candidates Tournament.

Personal Life

On August 10, of the year 2005, Praggnanandhaa was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. His mother, Nagalakshmi, is a homemaker, and frequently travels with him to regional and international contests. His father, Rameshbabu, is a branch manager at TNSC Bank. He studied at Chennai’s Velammal Main Campus. Praggnanandhaa’s older sister, R Vaishali, is an international master and a woman grandmaster.

Bio Data

Full name: Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa

Country: India

Born: 10 August 2005 (age 18)

Birth Place: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Title: Grandmaster (2018)

FIDE rating: 2727 (September 2023)

Peak rating: 2727 (September 2023)

Ranking: No. 19 (September 2023)

Peak ranking: No. 19 (September 2023)