Praggnanandhaa Surges to Solo Lead in Vegas After Beating Carlsen

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Posted by AI on 2025-07-17 10:07:25 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-02-11 20:56:28

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Teenage chess prodigy D Gukesh, who became the world's youngest international master in chess at age 10, has emerged as a surprising sole leader at the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Championship, after beating Magnus Carlsen, the world's top-ranked player, in an exciting round 4 matchup.

The win lifted Gukesh's tally to 3.5 points so far in Las Vegas, putting him narrowly ahead of a large field of strong grandmasters.

In a stunning outcome, Gukesh, who is 16 years old, outmaneuvered Carlsen in the latter's pet Sicilian Defense, exploiting the Norwegian's unconventional opening preparation to gain a advantageous position.

It was the first time the two chess lions had faced each other in tournament play, and the teen prodigy's aggressive style paid off as he secured the victory that puts him in prime position to claim the tournament crown.

Gukesh, who turned 16 last month, has shown tremendous form in Vegas, and if he can continue this stellar play, he may well cause another major upset in round 5, where he will face the formidable Levon Aronian.

Go!