Praggnanandhaa stuns Carlsen again, keeps Norway Chess title dream alive

Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa produced another memorable performance at Norway Chess 2026, defeating world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in a classical game for the second time this year and boosting his chances of becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious tournament.

The 20-year-old's victory in the elite double round-robin event lifted him to 12 points and third place in the standings, while dealing a major setback to Carlsen's hopes of securing an eighth Norway Chess title on home soil.

Praggnanandhaa has now become the only player to defeat the Norwegian star twice in classical chess in 2026, further establishing himself among the world's leading players.

With only two rounds remaining, defending champion Carlsen faces an uphill task in his title defence after suffering four classical defeats during a difficult campaign. Two of those losses have come against the young Indian, who has emerged as one of the strongest challengers to the Norwegian's dominance.

Meanwhile, American Grandmaster Wesley So strengthened his position at the top of the table after defeating Germany's Vincent Keymer in the Armageddon tie-break. So now leads the tournament with 14 points.

France's Alireza Firouzja moved into sole second place on 13 points after registering a classical victory over reigning world champion D. Gukesh.

The defeat effectively ended Gukesh's hopes of winning the Norway Chess title. The Indian world champion remains on eight points and can reach a maximum of 14 points with victories in his remaining two classical games, a score that may not be enough to challenge for the championship.

It was Gukesh's third classical defeat of the tournament as he continues preparations for his upcoming World Championship title defence against Uzbek challenger Javokhir Sindarov later this year.

For Praggnanandhaa, however, the title race remains wide open. Having defeated Carlsen twice in front of his home crowd, the Indian grandmaster has firmly placed himself among the contenders and ensured a thrilling finish to one of the world's most prestigious chess tournaments.