R Praggnanandhaa and Magnus Carlsen (Free Chess | Lennart Oates)
Indian grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa completed a remarkable comeback to win the 2026 Norwegian chess title, drawing praise from none other than world number one Magnus Carlsen after a stunning end to the tournament.The 20-year-old created history in Oslo when he became the first Indian to win the prestigious Norwegian Chess Championship. Praggnanandhaa entered the final round trailing American Grandmaster Wesley So, but delivered a tournament-winning performance when it mattered most.Pragnanandha needed a win over German Vincent Kemmer and required Su to drop points against Frenchman Alireza Firouzia, which put both results in place.
He defeated Kemer in a brilliant display of attacking chess, while Su and Firouzja settled for a draw, handing the Indian star the title.
Carlsen, who endured a difficult tournament by his lofty standards, was among the first to acknowledge Pragnananda’s achievement. The Norwegian was particularly impressed with the Indian’s ability to perform under pressure in the closing stages.“He has won the last four Classics. This is the best he can get.
“Bragg is an amazing fighter, and it’s fun to see him get rewarded for that,” Carlsen said.The five-time world champion stressed the importance of this achievement.“It’s kind of crazy. This is clutch to show, and it just shows that it was possible for me to also have a similar finish. But yeah, it’s unbelievable. It shows you the unpredictability of the system and he’s an unbelievable fighter.”
“It’s fun to see him get rewarded for that,” he added.
Prague’s unforgettable double over Carlsen
One of the defining stories of Norwegian chess 2026 was Pragnananda’s dominance over Carlsen in classical chess.The Indian guru defeated the world number one twice during the tournament, first in the third round and then again in the eighth round. The second win was particularly significant as Pragnananda became one of the few players to beat Carlsen twice in the same Classic tournament.
The wins proved crucial in keeping him in title contention.Nerves of steel in the final roundThe title win over Keymer came in a rejection of the Queen’s Dynamic Gambit. Praggnanandhaa gradually improved his position before launching a decisive attack on the king’s side. Key moments included the aggressive 33.f5 and the powerful 38.Ne6+, which exposed Black’s king and ultimately led to a rook victory at the end of the game.
