The 16-year-old from Chennai came back after losing the opener to win the second set. But then the two-game blitz tie-breaker was lost.
The Indian GM, who had lost the first set 1.5–2.5, came back to win the second 2.5–1.5 and forced a blitz tie-break.
Congratulations to Ding Liren on winning the #ChessableMasters, @Meltwater Champions his first win at Chess… https://t.co/EztWMtFe6l
-chess24.com (@chess24com) 16535980360000
The 29-year-old Liren used his experience to defeat Pragyananand in the second match of the tie-break game. After the first blitz game ended in a stalemate, the Chinese won the next match in 49 moves to dash the hopes of the Indian teenager.
Earlier in the second set, which he needed to win in order for the tie-break to break, Pragyananand took the all-important victory in 79 moves in the second game.
@chess24com @Meltwater It was a great match indeed! I thought Ding Liren was toast in the final game. Somebody… https://t.co/4zkRYuAjhG
— Susan Polgar (@SusanPolgar) 1653598269000
The next game saw the two dish out to a 106-move draw, before another stalemate meant the title would be decided by a tie-breaker.
After the final, the Indian prodigy’s coach RB Ramesh praised his ward’s efforts and wrote on Twitter: “Congratulations Ding, for defeating both Prague and Mosquitoes! Proud of you @rpragchess, overall good in tough conditions Showed nerves and character.”
Congratulations to Ding on defeating both Prague and the Mosquitoes! Proud of you @rpragchess, showed good nerves and… https://t.co/VhetnsO72s
— ramesh rb (@rameshchase) 1653598478000
The Indian GM defeated high-class Dutchman Anish Giri in the semi-finals to become the first Indian player to reach the final of the Meltwater Champions. chess travel program.
He defeated world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen for the second time during the preliminary stage, in which he finished fourth and went past Wei Yi of China in the quarter-finals.