Praggnanandhaa scripts history with landmark Norway Chess triumph
Indian chess star Praggnanandhaa conquers prestigious Norway Chess
Praggnanandhaa creates history, defeats Vincent Keymer to become first Indian champion and claim prestigious Norway Chess title.
Oslo: Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa created history on Friday by becoming the first Indian player to win the prestigious Norway Chess tournament, capping off a remarkable campaign with a crucial final-round victory over Germany’s Vincent Keymer.
The 20-year-old chess sensation from Chennai entered the final day in third place with 15 points and knew that only a classical victory would give him a realistic chance of lifting the title. Rising to the occasion, Praggnanandhaa delivered a composed and clinical performance against Keymer, securing the full three points available from a classical win and finishing the tournament with 18 points.
The triumph marks one of the biggest achievements of Praggnanandhaa’s young career and places his name among the elite winners of one of the world’s strongest chess tournaments.
In claiming the title, Praggnanandhaa accomplished a feat that had eluded generations of Indian chess stars, including five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand and reigning world champion D Gukesh. Since the tournament was established in 2013, no Indian had previously managed to finish on top of the standings.
Competing in Norway Chess for only the second time, Praggnanandhaa endured a difficult start to the tournament. Facing a world-class six-player field featuring some of the strongest grandmasters on the planet, he struggled to find momentum during the opening rounds. However, the young Indian gradually recovered and produced an impressive second-half surge that transformed him into a genuine title contender.
One of the defining moments of his campaign came against world number one Magnus Carlsen. Praggnanandhaa achieved the rare distinction of defeating the Norwegian legend twice in classical chess during the tournament. Carlsen, a seven-time Norway Chess champion and one of the greatest players in history, has rarely been beaten multiple times in a single elite event.
Those victories not only boosted Praggnanandhaa’s confidence but also highlighted his maturity and fighting spirit following a disappointing Candidates Tournament in Paphos earlier this year. Many observers viewed Norway Chess as an opportunity for the Indian star to bounce back, and he did so in spectacular fashion.
Reigning world champion D Gukesh, who had entered the competition with high expectations, gradually slipped out of title contention after a series of disappointing results. With Gukesh struggling to find consistency, Praggnanandhaa carried the Indian challenge forward and ultimately converted it into a historic championship victory.
The final-round drama was further intensified by events elsewhere in the tournament. American Grandmaster Wesley So began the day at the top of the standings with 15.5 points and appeared well placed to secure the title. However, his classical game against Alireza Firouzja ended in a draw, forcing the contest into an Armageddon tie-break.
That result opened the door for Praggnanandhaa. A classical victory against Keymer would move him ahead of the field regardless of the Armageddon outcome, and the Indian grandmaster seized the opportunity with both hands.
Although Wesley So eventually won his Armageddon game and added 1.5 points to his tally, he finished with 17 points, one short of Praggnanandhaa’s winning score of 18.
Meanwhile, Gukesh’s campaign concluded on a disappointing note. In the final round, Magnus Carlsen defeated the Indian world champion in a classical game, earning three points. Despite the victory, Carlsen could not climb back into title contention and finished fifth in the overall standings with 13 points.
For Praggnanandhaa, however, the tournament will be remembered as a landmark achievement. By becoming the first Indian champion in Norway Chess history, he has added another glorious chapter to Indian chess and further strengthened his reputation as one of the brightest stars of the global game.