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Praggnanandhaa Wins FIDE Circuit 2025 to Seal Candidates 2026 Berth

A season of marquee victories capped by a last‑minute London Open entry kept him atop the leaderboard despite Nodirbek Abdusattorov’s elite-event surge.

Overview

  • Praggnanandhaa finished the circuit with 115.17 points, ahead of Anish Giri (81.18) and Nodirbek Abdusattorov (71.61).
  • He tied for first with 7/9 in the London Chess Classic Open, earning 8.17 points that secured his qualification.
  • Abdusattorov’s London Elite triumph produced 19.62 points, one of the year’s top performances, but it was not enough to close the gap.
  • Seven places in the Open Candidates are set, with the final berth to be awarded by six‑month average rating (Aug 2025–Jan 2026) subject to a 40‑game minimum.
  • The Candidates runs March 28–April 16, 2026, in Pegeia, Cyprus, where he will be India’s lone male entrant; three Indian players qualified for the Women’s Candidates.