While Gukesh’s recent form in rapid and blitz may not make him a top favourite, classical chess remains his strongest format. Praggnanandhaa, on the other hand, has already qualified for the 2026 Candidates Tournament, where he may challenge Gukesh for the world title.
Both Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa have also committed to playing in the Grand Swiss in Uzbekistan next month, signalling their hunger for further titles and international dominance.
In the current GCT standings, Praggnanandhaa holds an edge over Gukesh, but consistency will be critical against seasoned opponents. France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave is among the top contenders, while 42-year-old Levon Aronian, fresh off back-to-back wins in Freestyle Chess (Las Vegas) and the St. Louis Rapid & Blitz, is enjoying a strong run of form.
The Sinquefield Cup will be played over nine rounds, with a total prize pool of USD 350,000.
Participants:
D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa (India); Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, Levon Aronian, Sam Sevian (USA); Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Alireza Firouzja (France); Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Poland); Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan).
