Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has etched his name in chess history by becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious Norway Chess title. The 20-year-old from Chennai achieved this milestone with a final-round classical victory over Germany's Vincent Keymer in Oslo, finishing the tournament with 18 points.
Historic Achievement
Praggnanandhaa's triumph is remarkable as it eluded even Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand and reigning world champion D Gukesh since the tournament's inception in 2013. Competing in Norway Chess for only the second time, he started slowly in the elite six-player field but gained momentum in the second half, securing four consecutive wins.
Key Moments
His campaign was highlighted by defeating seven-time Norway Chess champion and World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen twice in classical chess. This rare accomplishment underlined his determination after an underwhelming performance at the Candidates Tournament in Paphos earlier this year.
As reigning world champion Gukesh fell out of contention in the closing stages, Praggnanandhaa ensured India's challenge remained alive and ultimately carried it to the title.
Final Round Drama
The result was made possible after American Grandmaster Wesley So, who led the standings with 15.5 points heading into the final round, was held to a draw by Alireza Firouzja in their classical game, sending the contest to an Armageddon tie-break. This opened the door for Praggnanandhaa, who knew a classical victory over Keymer would propel him to the top.
Although Wesley So won the Armageddon tie-break, the victory was worth only 1.5 points, taking his tally to 17 points — one short of Praggnanandhaa's winning total of 18. Alireza finished third with 15.5 points.
Other Performances
Gukesh's disappointing campaign continued as his third appearance ended without the breakthrough he hoped for in a year when he is set to defend his world title against challenger Javokhir Sindarov. In the final round, Carlsen defeated the 20-year-old Indian with white pieces to collect three full points, but it was not enough to propel him into title contention; he finished fifth with 13 points.
