Pragg, Sindarov and Aronian top scorers on first day of blitz
Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu remained the sole leader of the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz after the first day of blitz, extending his advantage over Javokhir Sindarov to 1½ points. The Indian grandmaster scored 6/9, the best result of the day, and has now occupied first place throughout all four days of the tournament.
Sindarov remains his closest challenger, while Wesley So lost ground and now sits further behind. Levon Aronian also produced a strong blitz performance, finishing only half a point below Sindarov's daily score, but his modest result in the rapid section leaves him 3½ points off the overall lead. With nine blitz rounds remaining, Praggnanandhaa and Sindarov are the main contenders for first place.
Master your middlegame with the complete strategy series – now available as a bundle at a reduced price. Take your chance to save and improve!
Master your middlegame with the complete strategy series – now available as a bundle at a reduced price. Take your chance to save and improve!
Praggnanandhaa began the day by defeating Vincent Keymer. The German defended stubbornly while relying almost entirely on the increment, but eventually allowed a passed pawn that decided the game. Keymer struggled repeatedly in time trouble and finished the day with 2½/9, level with Leinier Dominguez.
So kept pace in the opening round by beating Jorden van Foreest. He sacrificed two pawns to generate a direct attack along the h-file, and Black’s position quickly became untenable. Sindarov, meanwhile, started with a draw against Aronian.
The second round slowed both of Pragg's nearest rivals. Fabiano Caruana defeated So after creating an outside passed pawn, while Van Foreest overcame Sindarov with an active king march to g3. Pragg drew his game and moved 2 points clear of both players.
Aronian produced the most striking game of the day in round four, defeating Anish Giri in 30 moves. His attack included a piece sacrifice followed by an exchange sacrifice and ended with checkmate on the board.
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Looking for an opening that gets your opponents thinking on move one? Grandmaster Andy Woodward has relied on 1.b3 for years in blitz and bullet, using it to defeat strong masters and grandmasters who underestimated its hidden venom. While many players dismiss the opening as harmless, they often find themselves caught in unfamiliar positions, tactical traps, and uncomfortable middlegames. This compact course is designed specifically for practical play. Instead of overwhelming you with endless theory, it focuses on the critical lines, typical plans, and recurring tactical ideas that matter most when the clock is ticking.
Free video sample: Introduction
Free video sample: King's Indian Setup
Levon Aronian | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Sindarov then strengthened his challenge with three consecutive victories between rounds four and six. He beat Caruana after the American dropped a piece, defeated Awonder Liang through a kingside attack and overcame Dominguez despite missing a mate-in-one during the conversion. His material advantage was still sufficient to secure the point.
Over the same three rounds, Pragg with So, defeated Van Foreest and shared the point with Caruana. His win against Van Foreest came from an unusual material balance in which he had four pawns for a knight. So, meanwhile, lost to Aronian after blundering a piece before recovering with a victory over Keymer in round six.
The most important game of the day came in round eight, when Sindarov faced Pragg with the white pieces. After the queens were exchanged on move 22, the position appeared likely to end in a draw. Pragg then overlooked a tactic and lost a pawn, giving Sindarov a winning endgame. Sindarov failed to convert, however, choosing 43.Kf4?? inexplicably.
Capturing any of the pawns wins - e.g. 43.Kxg6 f4 44.c7 Kd7 45.e6+ Kxc7 46.e7 Kd7 47.Kf7, and White queens his pawn first.
In this video course, experts including Dorian Rogozenco, Mihail Marin, Karsten Müller and Oliver Reeh, examine the games of Boris Spassky. Let them show you which openings Spassky chose to play, where his strength in middlegames were and much more.After Sindarov's move, on the other side, Black can hold the draw without any difficulty. A victory would have reduced the gap to half a point, but the missed opportunity left the leader in a much stronger position before the final day.
Javokhir Sindarov | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Pragg, Sindarov and So all drew in round nine. The Indian star therefore finished the day still in front, having combined the best blitz score with the advantage he carried over from the rapid section. The remaining nine rounds will decide whether Sindarov can close the gap or Pragg can complete a tournament he has led from the opening day.
The playing hall | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Chess is a concrete game. There is no way around training your calculation skills. Improve your visualization, pattern recognition and learn calculation techniques such as reciprocal thinking with this course.
Calculation is at the heart of practical chess. Every chess concept builds on proper calculation technique. Therefore, all chess players should continuosly train the fundamental techniques, concepts and patterns this course will present. The goal isn't only to teach you to calculate, but to give you the tools and insights to keep improving long after the final lesson.
Free sample video: Introduction
Free sample video: Quiet Moves
Colleagues, rivals and friends - Levon Aronian, Wesley So and Jorden van Foreest | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Standings after round 9 - Blitz
All games - Blitz
All games - Rapid
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