GCT Finals: Keymer loses from winning position

by Stefan Liebig
8/24/2026 – Drama in the second game of the semifinals at the Grand Chess Tour Finals: Vincent Keymer had black against Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, and after a relatively quiet opening the position became increasingly complicated as both players ran short of time. Keymer reached a winning position, but in an almost hopeless situation Praggnanandhaa managed to capture the German star's rook with a king move and went on to secure the point. There was plenty of tension in the other semifinal as well. Wesley So found himself under severe pressure after a novelty by Fabiano Caruana, but Caruana allowed his opponent to escape with a draw. | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Grand Chess Tour
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Two clearly winning positions that were not converted

There could have been two clear winners in the second round of the semifinals: Fabiano Caruana quickly obtained a winning position by playing a novelty, while a little later Vincent Keymer also reached a winning position after initially making good use of Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu's inaccurate play in severe time trouble.

Vincent Keymer | Photo: Lennart Ootes

But after Caruana allowed So to escape with a draw, Keymer even managed to lose his winning position.

The winner commented on what had happened:

The loser was understandably less pleased.

Photos: Lennart Ootes

In the second game of the day, Caruana uncorked a spectacular novelty in the Berlin Defence of the Ruy Lopez:

Caruana, however, did not look as assured as usual – much as had been the case at the Sinquefield Cup. He continued for several moves with his strong preparation, but when So deviated with ...f5?! and followed up with several other suboptimal moves, Caruana used up a great deal of time despite his position becoming increasingly favourable. Between moves 24 and 33, he let his entire advantage slip away, allowing So to escape with a draw. After So had failed to make use of a large opening advantage in the first round, the roles were therefore reversed in game two.

Wesley So was far from pleased and had to fight hard after Fabiano Caruana's novelty. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Semifinal results, classical games, round 2

After the two draws between So and Caruana, the pair played an additional blitz game. So avoided a repeat of the line from the game they had just finished, but was still unable to generate sufficient counterplay. The game was used to determine the winner of the first phase. Caruana received two points for his victory and will therefore take a narrow 8-6 lead into the upcoming rapid and blitz phases.

While that matchup still appears fairly open, Keymer already faces a daunting task: Praggnanandhaa leads 9-3 and is regarded as the clearly stronger rapid and blitz player. Keymer's results at the faster time controls this year have been far from good. He was unable to score many points in those sections at either the GCT or Norway Chess.

Wesley So lost to Fabiano Caruana in the bonus blitz game. The GCT Finals now move on to the rapid and blitz phases. | Photo: Lennart Ootes / GCT

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Topics: Grand Chess Tour Finals 2026
Stefan Liebig, born in 1974, is a journalist and co-owner of a marketing agency. He now lives in Barterode near Göttingen. At the age of five, strange pieces on his neighbour’s shelf aroused his curiosity. Since then, the game of chess has cast a spell over him. Flying high in the NRW youth league with his home club SV Bad Laasphe and several appearances in the second division team of Tempo Göttingen were highlights for the former youth South Westphalia champion.
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