R Pragnanananda (Photo by Michal Valusza for Norwegian Chess)
R Praggnanandhaa wrote history when he became the first Indian ever to win the prestigious Norwegian chess title. The 20-year-old grandmaster completed a remarkable comeback in the final round, defeating Germany’s Vincent Kemmer to secure the championship and etch his name into the tournament’s history books.Heading into the final round, Praggnanandhaa trailed American Grandmaster Wesley So in the standings. Thus, he topped the tournament with 15.5 points, while the Indian star ranked second with 15 points. To lift the trophy, Pragnananda needed to beat Kemer and Hope Sue who dropped points against Frenchman Alireza Firouzja.The results were completely in his favour.
What is the value of the prize money won by Pragnananda?
For winning the Norwegian Chess 2026, Praggnanandhaa will receive 700,000 Norwegian Krone (NOK), which is approximately Rs 70.5 lakh.The tournament featured a total prize pool of NOK 1.69 million, which was distributed among the six participants based on their final ranking.Norway Chess 2026 Prize Fund DistributionFirst place: NOK 700,000Second place: NOK 350,000Third place: NOK 200,000Fourth place: 170,000 Norwegian kroneFifth place: NOK 150,000Sixth place: NOK 120,000According to the tournament regulations, the prize money is shared between players who achieved the same score. However, this rule does not apply to the first position.
In the event of a tie in the tournament, a playoff or double tiebreaker will be used to determine the winner.
How Praggnanandhaa stamped the title
The title win came in a denied Dynamic Queen’s Gambit against Vincent Kemmer. Praggnanandhaa gradually took control of the match before launching a decisive attack on the king’s side.Key moments included an aggressive 33.f5 and a powerful 38.Ne6+, which exposed Black’s king and set the stage for the winning rook ending. The win earned the big Indian a crucial three points and kept his title hopes alive.Meanwhile, Wesley Sow and Alireza Firouzja had a classic draw in their last-round encounter. This result proved enough to give Praggnanandhaa the championship without the need for an Armageddon tiebreaker.