Praggnanandhaa Triumphs in Tiebreaks to Win 2025 UzChess Cup Masters

The UzChess Cup Masters, held from June 19 to 27 in the Uzbek capital, featured ten top players competing in a single round-robin format. The event offered a $20,000 top prize, with $15,000 and $10,000 for second and third place, respectively. 

Praggnanandhaa’s path to the title was far from straightforward. Midway through the tournament he suffered consecutive defeats, including a much-discussed loss to Hungary’s Richard Rapport that was hailed as a candidate for “Game of the Year.” At that point, Praggnanandhaa trailed behind Abdusattorov in the standings.

However, the 19-year-old Indian star mounted an impressive comeback in the final rounds of classical play, defeating Arjun Erigaisi and Abdusattorov to force a three-way tie at the top of the table with Sindarov. This result triggered a playoff to decide the champion.

ith no predefined format for a three-way tie, organizers opted for a blitz double round-robin. The initial playoff ended with all three players still level, prompting an additional single round-robin to break the deadlock. In the decisive final games, Praggnanandhaa held firm, defeating Sindarov and securing the title while Abdusattorov fell short in his own must-win game.

The victory in Tashkent continued Praggnanandhaa’s remarkable 2025 run, which has included tournament wins in Wijk aan Zee and Bucharest. It also strengthened his lead in the FIDE Circuit standings, a race that will qualify one player for the 2026 Candidates Tournament.

The event also had significant rating implications. Praggnanandhaa rose to world number four and Indian number one. Meanwhile, Nodirbek Abdusattorov remained among the world’s elite despite the playoff loss, while Ian Nepomniachtchi dropped out of the world top 10 for the first time since the modern rating lists began, finishing 14th after a tough event in Tashkent.

In the tournament’s Challengers section, Greek grandmaster Nikolas Theodorou took first place, with 18-year-old Mukhiddin Madaminov second and Vitaly Sivuk third on tiebreaks.

Next up for Praggnanandhaa is the SuperUnited Croatia Rapid & Blitz in Zagreb, which begins on July 2 and will feature a star-studded field including World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju and world number-one Magnus Carlsen.