Kolkata : R Praggnanandhaa adds another feather to his cap as he scripts history becoming first Indian to win the prestigious Norway Chess title after a remarkable late surge in Oslo. The 20-year-old Grandmaster sealed the crown with a final-round victory over Germany’s Vincent Keymer, completing one of the most memorable comebacks in the tournament’s history.
The elite tournament featured World No.1 Magnus Carlsen, reigning world champion D Gukesh, Alireza Firouzja, Wesley So and Keymer, making it one of the strongest events on the international calendar. This win becomes more significant considering quality and competition of the tournament.
Praggnanandhaa’s title challenge appeared in danger midway through the event after a series of setbacks left him trailing the leaders. However, he produced a sensational turnaround when it mattered most. He reeled off a string of crucial classical victories, including wins over giants like Firouzja, Carlsen and Gukesh, to thrust himself back into contention heading into the final round.
Entering the last round, Praggnanandhaa was locked in a tense three-way battle with So and Firouzja for the title.
One of the defining features of his campaign was his dominance over Carlsen. Praggnanandhaa defeated the Norwegian superstar twice in classical chess during the tournament, becoming only the second player after India’s legendary Viswanathan Anand to achieve the feat in a single event. He also became the first player to beat Carlsen twice in classical games in 2026.
Having already qualified for the Candidates Tournament and established himself among the world’s elite, the Chennai youngster has now added one of the sport’s most coveted titles to his growing resume.
Praggnanandhaa revealed that his mother, Nagalakshmi, had made a striking prediction on June 1.
“I was speaking to my mother on 1st June, before Alireza’s game, and she was telling me, ‘It’s a new month. You’ll play well’. And then I was like, ‘Okay, it’s just one of these things that Mom always says’. And then I win four games at once. She knew something I guess,” he said on Chess24.
“Somehow things went all my way. I also feel I started playing with more control, which is always a good thing. It’s just that I decided I will play a bit faster than I was doing. I was having time advantage in every game and I was also able to play decent quality moves, so I think that certainly helped,” he added.
Playing with white pieces, Pragg capitalised on some mistakes by Keymar in the middle-game to win on the 45th move to finish the tournament with 18 points from five wins, two losses, and two draws, both of which he won in the Armageddon game.
“By few moves, I knew that I was going to win. But I still wanted to make sure because… once I played knight e6, I couldn’t think anymore. I was just making moves with my hand. I think it is such a good winning position that you just can’t miss it out, but I was still worried. Once he resigned is when I relaxed,” he added.
