R Praggnanandhaa created fresh history for Indian chess by winning the Norway Chess title, finishing on 18 points. The 20-year-old defeated several leading
global players and became the first Indian champion of the event, an honour that had previously escaped Viswanathan Anand and reigning world champion D Gukesh since the tournament began in 2013.
Praggnanandhaa's victory in Stavanger came in only the second Norway Chess appearance of the Indian grandmaster. The six-player super tournament started slowly for Praggnanandhaa, but consistent results in the latter rounds lifted India's hopes and kept the national challenge alive until Praggnanandhaa finally sealed the championship.
Norway Chess 2026: Triumph For Praggnanandhaa
A major highlight of Praggnanandhaa's Norway Chess campaign was the overpowering record against Magnus Carlsen. Praggnanandhaa defeated the World No. 1 and seven-time Norway Chess champion twice in classical games, an extremely rare outcome at this level, and a strong response after a below-par Candidates Tournament in Paphos earlier in the year.
Industrialist Gautam Adani hailed the Norway Chess success in strong terms, stressing Praggnanandhaa's style and mindset. Adani described the achievement as "fearless, focused, deeply Indian. He called Norway Chess "one of the ultimate tests of endurance, intellect and temperament in the world of chess and said, "To defeat the world's absolute best on one of chess's grandest stages is a remarkable feat. "But what makes it even more special is the spirit with which Pragg plays. Fearless - Focused - Deeply Indian, Adani wrote in a post on X.
Congratulations to Praggnanandhaa on becoming the first Indian to win the Norway Chess tournament - one of the ultimate tests of endurance, intellect and temperament in the world of chess.
- Gautam Adani (@gautam_adani) June 6, 2026
To defeat the world’s absolute best on one of chess’s grandest stages is a remarkable… pic.twitter.com/Cm8hncebV5
Norway Chess 2026: Road To The Final
The title race tightened in the final round of Norway Chess, with Wesley So initially in control. The American Grandmaster entered that round leading on 15.5 points. So faced Alireza Firouzja in a classical game, but the encounter ended level, sending their battle into an Armageddon tie-break.
That draw between Wesley So and Alireza Firouzja gave Praggnanandhaa a clear target for Norway Chess glory. Praggnanandhaa understood that a classical win over Vincent Keymer would move him to the top of the table. By securing that full-point result, Praggnanandhaa reached 18 points and claimed the landmark championship.
Although Wesley So later won the Armageddon tie-break, the Norway Chess scoring system limited the impact. The tie-break success brought So only 1.5 points, taking the total to 17, leaving So exactly one point behind Praggnanandhaa. Alireza, who also had title ambitions before the last round, finished third with 15.5 points.
The final Norway Chess standings saw R Praggnanandhaa take first place with 18 points, Wesley So finish second on 17 points, and Alireza Firouzja claim third with 15.5 points.
Praggnanandhaa's Norway Chess success ensured India's presence at the top of elite classical chess remained strong. The performance combined a recovery from a slow start, two classical wins over Magnus Carlsen, and precise calculation under pressure in the last round. The result delivered a title no Indian had taken before and underlined a new chapter for Indian chess.
