Praggnanandhaa coach Suri says past learnings guiding run at Sinquefield Cup

In Chennai on August 15, 2026, Vaibhav Suri, coach of R. Praggnanandhaa, said his pupil is relying on lessons from previous tournaments as the 21-year-old continues his run at the ongoing Sinquefield Cup in the USA.

After a difficult start to the year, Praggnanandhaa has hit a rich vein of form, claiming a historic win at Norway Chess and prevailing at the St. Louis Rapid & Blitz last week; Suri said the coach-player work together has begun to yield results. The 21-year-old’s recent results have drawn attention ahead of his matches in the United States, where he recorded wins over World Championship challenger Javokhir Sindarov and Jordan van Foreest in the current event.

Reflecting specifically on the St. Louis Rapid & Blitz, Suri said: "We did pay a little more attention to the opponents (in St. Louis) and tried to be in control. In the shorter formats, [holding the] nerves play a big role. I think that he was in far better control than in previous events." He credited a more opponent-focused approach and improved composure in quicker time-controls for part of the turnaround.

On preparation for classical events, Suri stated: "Preparation plays a huge part in classical chess, and we are relying on the learnings from previous events." He presented that reliance on prior experience as a deliberate element of their tournament planning rather than an ad hoc reaction to recent results.

Praggnanandhaa’s string of recent successes — the Norway Chess triumph and the St. Louis Rapid & Blitz victory — preceded his performances at the Sinquefield Cup, where his wins over Sindarov and van Foreest contributed to his ongoing momentum. Those results form the immediate competitive backdrop to Suri’s comments about learning and preparation.

Suri also addressed India’s prospects with the Olympiad approaching, saying the nation has a strong squad and acknowledging the external pressure: "there are huge expectations because we are the defending champions." He linked the team’s status as reigning champions to elevated expectations for selection and performance.

"The focus is going to be on trying to put the four best players on that given day and hope that they play their best. I am sure that Pragg, D. Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin and Vidit Gujrathi will be preparing very seriously for the Olympiad."