OSLO: Writing another glorious chapter in Indian chess history in golden letters, young Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has scripted a historic record by becoming the first Indian player ever to clinch the Norway Chess title. The 20-year-old prodigy achieved this proud feat following an incredible comeback in the final stages of the prestigious tournament held in Oslo. Praggnanandhaa lifted the coveted title after defeating Germany’s Vincent Keymer in the final round, marking one of the greatest turnarounds in the history of the tournament.
Praggnanandhaa’s victory is exceptionally special considering the presence of world-class elite players who participated in the tournament. Featuring World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, reigning World Champion D Gukesh, Alireza Firouzja, Wesley So, and Vincent Keymer, this elite event is widely regarded as one of the toughest challenges on the international chess calendar. Although Wesley So kept his championship hopes alive by defeating Firouzja in an intense Armageddon match in the final round, Praggnanandhaa’s spectacular win in the classical game denied the American player the title. In other matches, Carlsen wrapped up a challenging tournament on a high note by completing a classical double-win over Gukesh and defeating Keymer to secure the fourth spot. Praggnanandhaa’s title hopes had taken a slight hit following some setbacks midway through the tournament, leaving him well behind the frontrunners at one point, but he bounced back with ultimate fighting spirit just when it mattered the most.
How Praggnanandhaa Clinched the Norway Chess Title
Before heading into the final round, Praggnanandhaa stormed back into the championship race by securing a string of crucial classical victories against Firouzja, Carlsen, and Gukesh.
His victory over Gukesh in the ninth round proved to be highly decisive in the tournament. It helped him narrow the points gap with the leaders and set the stage for a dramatic title showdown on the final day. Entering the final round, Praggnanandhaa was locked in a tight triangular contest alongside Wesley So and Alireza Firouzja. The biggest highlight of Praggnanandhaa’s performance in this tournament was his absolute dominance over home favourite Magnus Carlsen. Praggnanandhaa defeated the Norwegian superstar twice in classical chess during the event. He is only the second player after India’s legendary Viswanathan Anand to achieve this rare feat against Carlsen in a single tournament. Furthermore, Praggnanandhaa became the first player to defeat Carlsen twice in classical games in the year 2026.
This historic milestone underscores Praggnanandhaa’s rapid rise as one of the foremost leaders of the new golden generation in Indian chess. Having already qualified for the Candidates Tournament and firmly established himself among the global elite, the Chennai-born youngster has now added one of the most coveted titles in the sporting world to his burgeoning career.
ലഘു വിവരണം
നോർവേ ചെസ്സ് ടൂർണമെന്റിൽ കിരീടം നേടുന്ന ആദ്യ ഇന്ത്യൻ താരമായി മാറിയ ചെന്നൈ സ്വദേശി ആർ പ്രഗ്നാനന്ദ (20) ചരിത്രം കുറിച്ചു. ഒസ്ലോയിൽ നടന്ന മത്സരത്തിന്റെ അവസാന റൗണ്ടിൽ ജർമ്മനിയുടെ വിൻസെന്റ് കീമറെ തകർപ്പൻ പോരാട്ടത്തിലൂടെ കീഴടക്കിയാണ് താരം ചാമ്പ്യനായത്. ടൂർണമെന്റിലുടനീളം മികച്ച പ്രകടനം പുറത്തെടുത്ത പ്രഗ്നാനന്ദ ലോക ഒന്നാം നമ്പർ താരം മാഗ്നസ് കാൾസനെ ക്ലാസിക്കൽ മത്സരങ്ങളിൽ രണ്ട് തവണ പരാജയപ്പെടുത്തി. വിശ്വനാഥൻ ആനന്ദിന് ശേഷം ഒരേ ടൂർണമെന്റിൽ കാൾസനെ രണ്ട് തവണ തോൽപ്പിക്കുന്ന രണ്ടാമത്തെ ഇന്ത്യൻ താരമാണ് പ്രഗ്നാനന്ദ.
(With inputs from ITD)
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