Tata Steel Chess champion R Praggnanandhaa won't be competing in Germany for the first round of the Freestyle Tour.

Wijk Aan Zee (Netherlands) : The Indian juggernaut in international chess remained unstoppable as Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa fought through exhaustion and nerves to defeat world champion D Gukesh in a clash of compatriots to clinch the Tata Steel Masters title for the first time in his prolific career.

Wijk aan Zee was a triumph for the rising generation. Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, who defeated Gukesh 2-1 in speed games after they shared first place with 8.5/13, Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who finished third half a point behind,

After scripting a memorable tale of success in Tata Steel Masters 2025 in Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands, Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa received a warm welcome in Chennai. In a dramatic final,