Same-Move Checkmate: Praggnanandhaa’s strategy at IMC India Simul

by Rasika Ratnaparkhi - 04/09/2025

On 8th August, GM R Praggnanandhaa took on ten IMC employees in a thrilling simul at IMC India's Mumbai Office. There was also a live commentary, a quiz, and prizes for the audience. Before the first move, Pragg announced his challenge to checkmate all ten opponents on the same move. Did he pull off his daring challenge? Read on to find out. Photo: IMC India

Praggnanandhaa’s Simul at IMC India

If you love chess, you might dream about becoming a professional chess player. Or at least, playing against one. Even if you don’t pursue chess professionally, that spark, that thrill of facing a grandmaster, stays with you. On 8th August, IMC India gave its employees in its Mumbai office a chance to live that dream. They hosted a thrilling chess simul with current India no. 1, GM R Praggnanandhaa. IMC is the lead sponsor of e-sports outfit Team Liquid’s chess unit that comprises Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, and Praggnandhaa.

A welcome board at the entry of the venue. | Photo: IMC

Internal hype was created in the IMC Office before the simul! | Photo: IMC

The event began with a special video shoot by a crew from Amsterdam. Once the shoot was over, there was a meet-and-greet session for IMC employees with Praggnanandhaa. All the guests captured pictures and collected autographs from the young grandmaster.

Pragg signing the t-shirt. | Photo: IMC

Pragg patiently interacted with all the fans who came to get his autograph and picture! | Photo: IMC

Even ChessBase India team members got a chance to spend some time with Pragg. That's Kartik Krishnan, the Design Strategist at ChessBase India | Photo: IMC

The special IMC-branded wooden chess boards were set up for the simul. | Photo: IMC

The setup for the simul that was beautifully done | Photo: IMC

One by one, all the players entered the venue. | Photo: IMC

Once the players took their seats, Praggnanandhaa entered the room, ready to face all ten players! Amruta took over the commentary and kept the audience engaged. There were some quiz questions that were flashed on the screens so that the audience could also participate. Those who gave the right answers won exciting gifts too. Overall, everyone present was excited.

Praggnanandhaa arrives at IMC India’s Mumbai office, ready to take on ten challengers. | Photo: IMC

Live commentary and quiz questions by Amruta Mokal kept the audience engaged between moves. | Photo: IMC

A full house: IMC employees and guests gather to witness the grandmaster in action. | Photo: IMC

This photo gives you a good idea of the vibe of the place and how everyone was so excitedly focused on Pragg's fascinating simul | Photo: IMC

Pragg enjoyed the simul and called it his best yet. | Photo: IMC

IMC commissioned special-edition cards for Pragg’s signature. | Photo: IMC India

A lifelong memory for the players! | Photo: IMC

No doubt the simul itself was a spectacle! Before it started, Jocelyn Dentand, Managing Director, IMC India, lightheartedly mentioned to Pragg that his employees were “scared” to see who would be checkmated first. Smart Pragg came up with a challenge: to checkmate all players on the same move! And that’s exactly what happened! Pragg strategized all the games very well and left everyone amazed.

Pragg and his mother, Nagalakshmi, receiving a hamper from Jocelyn Dentand, Managing Director, IMC India | Photo: IMC

"There is no chance of survival, right?" | Photo: IMC

Pragg was at his peak both in terms of humour and making the moves on the board | Photo: IMC

Nagalakshmi, Pragg's mother, shared her experience of watching the simul LIVE | Photo: IMC

What a beautiful capture! Always by his side - Nagalakshmi has been such an amazing backbone of Pragg's chess career | Photo: IMC

From left to right: Aditi Shukla (Team Liquid), MVL Manikantan (IMC), Pragg, Marcel Schakenraad (Team Liquid) and Jaimi Walker (IMC)

The simul with photos and videos of the day discussed by Sagar Shah and Amruta Mokal

An interview with MVL Manikantan, marketing specialist at IMC India

How mother Nagalakshmi nurtured two gems - Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali. | Video: ChessBase India

Check out the transcript of Nagalakshmi’s interview.

A final picture of Praggnanandhaa at the IMC Office in Mumbai

About IMC

IMC is a global trading firm powered by a cutting-edge research environment and a world-class technology backbone. Since 1989, we’ve been a stabilising force in financial markets, providing essential liquidity upon which market participants depend. Across our offices in the US, Europe, Asia Pacific, and India, our talented quant researchers, engineers, traders, and business operations professionals are united by our uniquely collaborative, high-performance culture, and our commitment to giving back. From entering dynamic new markets to embracing disruptive technologies, and from developing an innovative research environment to diversifying our trading strategies, we dare to continuously innovate and collaborate to succeed.