Welcoming India’s top chess grandmaster to IMC’s Mumbai office
Our colleagues at IMC’s Mumbai office were treated to a visit from India’s top-ranked chess grandmaster, Rameshbabu “Pragg” Praggnanandhaa, with the world’s third-highest-ranked player delivering an unforgettable victory in a ten-person simultaneous exhibition.
Taking on our IMCers in a remarkable simul
Perhaps the highlight of Pragg’s visit was his head-to-head battle with ten IMCers, each of whom qualified for this special simul through internal qualifiers. When IMC India’s Managing Director, Jocelyn Dentand, mentioned that some players were anxious about who might face defeat first, Pragg responded with characteristic confidence and creativity, pledging to checkmate all ten players on the same move!
Securing an impressive victory
Tension built with each passing move until Pragg eventually delivered on his promise, executing an outstanding synchronized checkmate in all 10 matches. Moving methodically from board to board, the young grandmaster orchestrated a display of tactical precision that stunned his opponents and the audience alike.
“I was determined to make Pragg put in some effort for the victory, and I think that was true for about the first ten moves,” said Lewis, one of the ten IMC traders who faced Pragg. “After that, it was one-sided. But I had a lot of fun, and being checkmated on the same move as everyone else allowed me to feel some solidarity in defeat!”
Thiruvarul, one of our recent joiners as a Junior Trader, said: “Ever since IMC signed Magnus [Carlsen] and Fabiano [Caruana], my excitement to start my career at IMC had increased. Having the opportunity to play Pragg within a fortnight of joining IMC will be an unforgettable memory for me. Pragg recognised my efforts and gave me a signed jersey, making the moment more special."
Pragg also seemed to thoroughly enjoy the exhibition. “This was my best simul yet,” he shared. “I had the best time ever! There was so much enthusiasm from the IMC people – cheering for their employees [and] cheering for me also!”
At the event, IMCers had the opportunity to meet Pragg, have their Team Liquid Chess jerseys signed, and collect autographed chess boards and commemorative playing cards. Pragg was also presented with a special gift to mark his visit by our Managing Director, Jocelyn Dentand.
For everyone in attendance, it was an inspiring opportunity to meet one of chess’s brightest young stars and witness his brilliance in action.
Why chess matters to IMC
In the wake of Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana’s visit to IMC’s Chicago office just a few weeks prior, the event in Mumbai highlights our commitment to supporting chess excellence through our partnership with Team Liquid’s chess team.
Both chess and trading also demand similar traits for success. “There are a lot of similarities between chess and quant,” observed Writobroto, Performance Engineer at IMC India. “It’s about reading patterns and trends and outsmarting your opponent. Preparing strategies and thinking ahead a couple of moves is something we also do.”
For the ten brave souls who faced Pragg across the chessboards, the experience provided them with insights into grandmaster-level thinking that no amount of studying could replicate. And with young talents like Pragg pushing boundaries, events like these remind us why chess continues to captivate minds across generations and cultures.