The Indian Grandmaster Rameshbabu Pragg is making a significant move at the London Chess Classic 2025 with the hope of getting his spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament. He does not treat this tournament just as a competition; it is an important step for him to become one of the challengers for the World Chess Championship.
Why the London Chess Classic Matters for R. Praggnanandhaa
The London Chess Classic (LCC) 2025 is scheduled to take place from November 27 to December 3, featuring a nine-round, 120-player Swiss tournament in the open section. The participant’s average rating is extremely high, about 2581 Elo.
Pragnanandhaa intends to gain FIDE Circuit points by participating in this open event. He, in fact, is at the top of the 2025 Circuit standings right now. This gives London a chance to shine for him: a powerful concluding act here might almost assure his entry into the Candidates.
The Stakes: Why This Isn’t Just Another Tournament
2026 Candidate On The Line
The Candidates Tournament for 2026 is among the most significant chess tournaments, as the victor will face the World Champion. One of the places for the Candidates is awarded through the FIDE Circuit, a ranking system where players gather points based on their performance in a series of approved tournaments.
- Praggnanandhaa is at the top of the Circuit at the moment with his total of 107 points from seven counting events. The player right below him on this list is Vincent Keymer, but Keymer is very much behind; thus, Pragg’s position is pretty much unassailable. In case Praggnanandhaa gets to the top three in London, the win would virtually confirm his place in the Candidates.
A Calculated Risk And A Bold Move
A section of the public might consider it a gamble for R. Praggnanandhaa to enroll in the open Swiss chess tournament. The strength of many capable grandmasters might pose a strong opposition and, in a Swiss-type of tournament, one bad day may even cancel his cause altogether.
However, that’s exactly the reason it might turn out to be a very profitable strategy: he has no points from the open events in his Circuit tally at the moment, which means that any good finish will greatly increase his total. Some chess experts believe that Pragg is not only safeguarding his lead but also forcefully securing it.
Through London Chess Classic 2025 participation, he intends to close the door on other contenders, especially since the main competitor for the Circuit spot, Keymer, would require a remarkable run to pull even.
What Went Wrong At The World Cup
Praggnanandhaa participated in the FIDE World Cup earlier in 2025, which was the other way to qualify for the Candidates. Unfortunately, he lost to Daniil Dubov in the tie breaks in the fourth round and thereby got eliminated. His exit was a major setback, as a lot of people had expectations from him that he would use the World Cup to book a place for himself.
Indian fans were more let down: at the same event in Goa, no Indian player made it to the final four. Now that the road is closed, Praggnanandhaa’s best (and possibly the only one) realistic opportunity is to get as many FIDE Circuit points as possible – and London Chess Classic 2025 is a key part of that strategy.
How The FIDE Circuit Ranking Works
To comprehend the significance of Praggnanandhaa’s performance in London, it is necessary to begin with a summary of the operation of the FIDE Circuit:
- Throughout the year, the players take part in a succession of eligible events.
- The final score of a player in the Circuit is the total of his/her seven best tournament results (or fewer if he/she did not play seven).
- The player with the highest score on the Circuit gets the Candidates spot.
This system makes it possible for the strong performances in major events to like as the London Chess Classic 2025, to become deciding factors.
R. Praggnanandhaa’s Mindset and Strategy
Pragg’s choice of London as his playing venue is a clear indication that he is taking no risk at all. The chess experts even say that he is not only maintaining his lead, but also trying to make it so large that no one can take it away from him.
At the same time, he is aware that if he plays poorly, he will lose not only upcoming Circuit points but possibly even his ranking or, worse, energy that he would need for the other major tournaments. Nevertheless, the general opinion is that the potential benefits are greater than the risks involved.
What Kheloexch Fans Need To Know
In case Pragg’s good fortune continues in London and he gets through the 2026 Candidates, then he will be among the contenders for the World Championship cycle. The 2026 Candidates is planned for Cyprus, between March 28 and April 16.
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