 "Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa is the only Indian in contention for a spot in the 2026 Candidates at present. Image: R Praggnanandhaa/X")
The qualification for the 2026 Candidates Tournament, which will determine the player that will be challenging reigning world champion D Gukesh for his title next year, is almost done with six out of eight spots already filled – via the 2024 FIDE Circuit as well as the FIDE Grand Swiss and World Cup this year. And with the rating spot virtually locked in favour of world No 2 Hikaru Nakamura, there’s just one spot that’s left to be filled.
Fortunately for the Indian chess community, the dream of an all-Indian showdown in the FIDE World Championship next year is still not over despite the relatively underwhelming run of the country’s top stars such as R Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi, as well as Gukesh, this year.
Arjun had narrowly missed out on the top spot in the 2024 FIDE Circuit standings last year, with current world No 3 Fabiano Caruana finishing ahead of him by six points and becoming the first player to qualify for the 2026 Candidates.
Praggnanandhaa, however, finds himself in an ideal position to ensure the prestigious tournament has some Indian presence next year, and that the dream of an all-Indian world championship showdown remains alive.
And what boosts his chances of qualifying for the Candidates via the 2025 FIDE Circuit is the fact that the next four individuals in the standings have all qualified via the Grand Swiss and World Cup over the last three months.
Can Keymer and others catch up with ‘Pragg’ on 2025 FIDE Circuit standings?
Vincent Keymer thus is Praggnanandhaa’s closest competitor to the top spot on the 2025 Circuit standings . ‘Pragg’, however, enjoys a substantial lead of more than 50 points over the 21-year-old German GM, making him the clear favourite to clinch the last available spot in next year’s Candidates.
Pragg currently has 107 points to his name from seven events, having won the Tata Steel Chess in February as well as Superbet Chess Classic Romania and the UzChess Cup Masters along the way. Keymer, in comparision, has just 55.83 points from four events, which includes his victory in the Chennai Grand Masters in August.
USA’s Wesley So (52.41 points) as well as Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov (51.99) and Nodirbek Yakubboev (50.55) are also in contention and aren’t trailing behind Keymer by a big margin. So, like the German, has played four events so far while the two Nodirbeks have made five appearances each.
Praggnanandhaa is currently competing in the ‘Open’ category of the London Chess Classic, where he is in the joint-lead along with five others in 5.5 points after seven rounds, and will also be competing in the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships in Doha later this year.
And a strong performance – a top-three finish that is – in at least one of these two events should guarantee ‘Pragg’ the top spot and a second consecutive appearances at the Candidate. As per the points system in the 2025 FIDE Circuit, Praggnanandhaa will add another 11 points to his tally if he wins the London Chess Classic, which will seal the top spot for him.
Pragg, however, will also be keeping a close watch on Keymer and So as well as the two Nodirbeks in order to stay prepared for the possibility of a late surprise and getting upstaged the top spot, however unlikely that may look at present.