Maxime Vachier-Lagrave trails R Praggnanandhaa after the Indian grandmaster finished the rapid section as joint leader at the Grand Chess Tour on 18 Jun.
Praggnanandhaa scored 5.5/9 in the rapid portion, tying for first place with another player. Vachier-Lagrave ended the rapid section further down the standings.
What happened in the rapid section?
The Grand Chess Tour's rapid segment wrapped up on 18 Jun. Praggnanandhaa, the 18-year-old Indian star, shared the lead with 5.5 points from nine games.
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave couldn't match that pace. The French No. 1 finished outside the top spots after a mixed run of results.
Why it matters for Maxime Vachier-Lagrave
Vachier-Lagrave entered the event as one of the favorites. His rapid rating sits among the world's best, but this result puts him on the back foot.
The tour moves to the blitz portion next. That's where Vachier-Lagrave often shines — he's a former blitz world champion.
What comes next?
The Grand Chess Tour continues with the blitz rounds. Vachier-Lagrave needs a strong showing there to climb the overall leaderboard.
Praggnanandhaa holds the advantage. But blitz is unpredictable, and Vachier-Lagrave has the firepower to close the gap.
Fans will watch closely. The French grandmaster has a history of bouncing back in faster time controls.