‘I am now more confident & ambitious’

New Delhi: Teenage Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa, who has won three major titles this year after a lean last season, on Sunday attributed the change in fortune to increased confidence and ambition as he aims to seal a Candidates berth at the earliest.

Praggnanandhaa always had it in him to beat the best but the one thing lacking was consistency, which he finally attained at

the beginning of the year when he defeated world champion D Gukesh on way to clinching the Tata Steel Masters.

Two more Classical titles followed in the form of Superbet Classic in Bucharest and the UzChess Cup Masters recently.

“I wasn’t able to win as many games as I would have liked to (last year), but yeah, I’m much more confident now and much more ambitious than earlier.

And, hopefully, I’ll make it to the Candidates,” the 19-year-old GM said in an interview to PTI.

Asked if this is the coming-of-age of the teenage GM, and Praggnanandhaa shrugged it off, saying he has been trying hard to make an impact.

“I’m not sure how to answer that. But, I mean, I try to give my best in every tournament, and this year has been going my way so far,” said Praggnanandhaa.

The youngster seems to have figured out the pathway to making it to the Candidates and is confident of reserving his place in the prestigious event.

“Yes, there are different (several) spots, of course. I am currently leading (the race for a Candidates spot) but there is still a lot of fight till December.

But I think, I mean, I will also be playing the Grand Swiss and the World Cup. So, if I can make it in one of those, that will be better because I don’t have to wait till December,”

he added.