Prajnanand’s Marathon Victory Moves Him Into Lead Group at Sinkfield Cup 2026

R. Prajnanand, the 20‑year‑old Indian Grandmaster, demonstrated stamina and tactical precision in a six‑hour, 95‑move marathon against world‑ranked Javorik Sindarov during the Sinkfield Cup’s second round. After a solid start that saw him draw with Sam Sevian for half a point, Prajnanand needed a win to stay in contention.

The decisive moment arrived on move 82 when Sindarov made a blunder in a rook‑knight endgame, allowing Prajnanand to convert the advantage into a full point. The result boosted Prajnanand’s score to 1.5/2, placing him among the five leaders sharing the top spot.

The day also produced other key outcomes: Aaronian beat Vincent Keimar, MVL overcame Sam Sevian, and Wesley So defeated Jordan van Foreest.

Prajnanand’s upcoming opponent is Vincent Keimar in round three, set for Wednesday night at 10:30 pm Indian time. Earlier this season, Prajnanand captured the blitz title at the St. Louis Rapid & Blitz, topping the rapid section with 12/18 points and breaking into the live top‑10 of the World Rapid rankings for the first time.

The Sinkfield Cup 2026, the final classical event of the Grand Chess Tour’s regular season, will run through August 19, promising more high‑stakes battles.