Pragg chooses one of the trendiest openings in blitz - the Double Fianchetto.
It gives White a solid position while bringing the game away from deep theoretical lines.
One of the best squares for the queen in these type of formations.
Topalov meets Double fianchetto with a Hedgehog setup, setting most of his pawns on 6th rank.
Typical strike in Hedgehog structure.
It was the other Hedgehog spine’s turn to come into play - instead, Veselin awkwardly places his bishop.
Pragg’s knight is heading toward a juicy central square.
Pragg gets a dream position. Black's King feels way too exposed.
Pragg sacrifices the exchange to launch a brutal attack on his opponent’s king.
Veselin had to give exchange back, his position still remains miserable.
Veselin’s main mistake was repositioning his bishop to f4 - it ended up cut off from the game, and Pragg skillfully took full advantage of that.
With three rounds to go, Praggnanandhaa still has a small chance to leap onto the podium - he trails Aronian by just 1.5 points. Even if catching Levon proves difficult, Pragg must stay alert, as the chasing pack is right behind him. Aravindh and Firouzja are breathing down his neck, only half a point behind. Every game now is crucial.
As for Topalov, only a miracle can save him from finishing at the bottom of the standings - which means he can play freely, without any emotional pressure.