In the open section of the 2026 Candidates Tournament, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa was India's sole representative in Cyprus earlier this year. He did not win the top prize there.
Indian grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa revealed he battled a cold and fever during the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Despite lacking energy late in the tournament, the 21-year-old scored 6.5 out of 10 on Board 1, helping India secure a team silver medal while earning an individual bronze medal.
Praggnanandhaa clarified that the illness was likely a viral infection rather than an issue with local food or conditions. Looking back on India's campaign, he reflected on missed winning chances and noted that a single critical blunder against champions Uzbekistan proved decisive in determining the gold medal.
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