GM Pranesh M captured the Freestyle Friday title on June 26 after scoring 10.5 out of 11 points. The victory marked his first of the year and fourth overall in the event. The result also concluded the first half of the Freestyle Friday Championship.
Pranesh started with nine straight wins before drawing his final two games. He defeated GM Dmitry Andreikin in round five and maintained the lead through the later rounds against strong opposition including GM Volodar Murzin and GM Parham Maghsoodloo.
Andreikin finished second with 9.5 points after a strong recovery in the second half of the tournament. Maghsoodloo took third place on 8.5 points while GM Alexey Sarana placed fourth on tiebreaks.
GM Pranav Venkatesh ended the day in eighth place but secured qualification for the 2027 FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship. GM Anna Muzychuk claimed the women's prize after already qualifying for the women's championship.
The weekly event for titled players awards cash prizes of $400 to the winner, $250 to the runner-up and $150 to the third-place finisher.
