Maxime Vachier-Lagrave ranked R Praggnanandhaa in B tier for the Candidates, calling it a “hot take” based on recent form. Despite strong 2025 performances, he cited six months of inconsistent results, saying, “It’s harsh… Pragg would have been at S tier.” He added, “It’s been 6 months and his form has really not been great.”

Source: Candidates: French GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave doubts R Praggnanandhaa's chances