Young grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa's coach RB Ramesh tests positive for Covid-19

Young Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa's coach R B Ramesh has tested positive for COVID-19 in the ongoing Tata Steel Masters chess tournament in Netherlands and is in isolation.

Praggnanandhaa is being tested on a daily basis and is playing only in case of a negative result, Ramesh said in a tweet.

"Tested positive for covid & in isolation. Thanks to @Jvdbergchess & @tatasteelchess team for immediately arranging a separate room when symptoms appeared, getting tested & subsequent isolation. @rpragchess is safe. Proud of you Pragg for handling all this maturely. Go for it!," the popular chess coach, who has accompanied the 16-year old GM to the tournament, tweeted.

"Pragg is being tested on a daily basis and only in case of a negative result, he is playing that round. So, all precautions are being taken care of. He is wearing his mask throughout the game," Ramesh, a GM himself, added.

Praggnanandhaa is slated to play his third round game in the Tata Steel Masters event later on Monday.

He drew his first two games and has one point after two rounds. Vidit Santhosh Gujrathi is the other Indian in fray in the Masters event.

The 45-year-old Ramesh coaches Praggnanandhaa, his sister R Vaishali and Karthikeyan Murali among others.

Published on: Monday, January 17, 2022, 06:07 PM IST