“I don’t remember winning a strong Rapid and Blitz event in the last few years. That admission from R Praggnanandhaa after his St Louis triumph revealed a little more than just surprise. Until Friday, when the Indian Grandmaster finally bridged the gap, winning the Grand Chess Tour’s Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz event in what he called “the best Rapid and Blitz performance that I’ve shown.” Praggnanandhaa sits second in the GCT standings after his Saint Louis win, just half a point behind Caruana. Praggnanandhaa could not match his sister’s feat in the parallel Open event, crumbling under expectations in his second Candidates appearance.