Oslo, June 6, 2026:
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa etched his name into chess history by becoming the first Indian ever to win the prestigious Norway Chess title, capping off a sensational comeback with victory in the final round of the tournament in Oslo.
The 20-year-old chess prodigy received widespread praise from across the country, with industrialist Gautam Adani leading the tributes following the landmark achievement.
In a post on X, Adani congratulated Praggnanandhaa for conquering one of the most challenging tournaments in world chess.
“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. To defeat the world’s absolute best on one of chess’s grandest stages is a remarkable feat,” Adani wrote.
He further described the young Grandmaster as “fearless, focused and deeply Indian,” adding that he represents the confidence of a rising and youthful India.
Praggnanandhaa sealed the title in style by defeating Germany’s Vincent Keymer in the tenth and final round. Playing with the white pieces, the Chennai-based Grandmaster capitalised on Keymer’s mistakes in the middlegame and converted his advantage into a convincing victory on the 45th move.
The win earned Praggnanandhaa 18 points and the tournament title along with the top prize of $100,000.
What made the triumph even more remarkable was his dramatic turnaround during the event. After six rounds, Praggnanandhaa was languishing at the bottom of the standings. However, he produced an extraordinary run of four consecutive classical victories to surge to the top and clinch the championship.
American Grandmaster Wesley So finished second with 17 points after drawing his final-round game against Alireza Firouzja, who ended the tournament in third place with 15.5 points.
Former World Champion and world number one Magnus Carlsen had an unusually disappointing tournament, finishing fourth with 13 points. Notably, Carlsen suffered two defeats against Praggnanandhaa during the competition.
Vincent Keymer finished fifth with 11 points, while reigning World Champion D Gukesh endured a difficult campaign and ended at the bottom of the six-player field with eight points.
Praggnanandhaa’s title-winning run included four consecutive classical victories, featuring a second win over Magnus Carlsen and a crucial penultimate-round triumph against D Gukesh. The achievement also marked the first four-game classical winning streak at Norway Chess since Carlsen accomplished the feat in 2021.
The historic victory further cements Praggnanandhaa’s status as one of the brightest stars in world chess and adds another glorious chapter to India’s growing dominance in the sport.
