GUWAHATI: Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa scripted history on Friday, June 5, by becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious Norway Chess tournament. The 20-year-old secured the title in Oslo with a crucial final-round victory over Germany's Vincent Keymer, capping off a remarkable comeback campaign in one of the strongest events on the global chess calendar.
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Praggnanandhaa's triumph came against a star-studded lineup featuring World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, reigning world champion D Gukesh, Alireza Firouzja, Wesley So, and Vincent Keymer, making the achievement all the more significant.
Heading into the final round, the Chennai-born Grandmaster was locked in a tense three-way title race with Wesley So and Firouzja. While Wesley kept his hopes alive by defeating Firouzja in an Armageddon game, Praggnanandhaa's victory over Keymer ensured the championship remained beyond the American's reach.
Carlsen, meanwhile, concluded a disappointing campaign on a positive note by defeating Gukesh in the final round to finish fourth overall.
Praggnanandhaa's road to the title was far from simple. Midway through the tournament, his championship hopes appeared to be fading, but he mounted an impressive resurgence with a string of crucial victories. He defeated Firouzja, Carlsen and Gukesh in classical games to force his way back into contention.
His Round 9 win over Gukesh proved particularly decisive, keeping him within striking distance of the leaders and setting up a dramatic finale.
One of the standout features of Praggnanandhaa's campaign was his dominance over Carlsen. The Indian star defeated the Norwegian legend twice in classical games during the tournament, becoming only the second player after Viswanathan Anand to achieve the feat in a single event. He also became the first player to beat Carlsen twice in classical chess in 2026.
The landmark victory underscores Praggnanandhaa's rise as one of the brightest talents in the world of chess. Having already established himself among the game's elite and secured qualification for the Candidates Tournament, he has now added one of the sport's most coveted titles to his growing list of accomplishments.