Praggnanandhaa Wins Norway Chess 2026 After Dramatic Comeback

Just a few rounds earlier, Praggnanandhaa was struggling near the bottom of the leaderboard. However, he bounced back brilliantly, winning four consecutive classical games to storm into title contention.

In the final round at Oslo’s Deichman Bjørvika, Praggnanandhaa defeated Germany’s Vincent Keymer to seal the championship. His remarkable winning streak included victories against Alireza Firouzja, World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, D Gukesh, and Vincent Keymer.

Tension Before Historic Victory

Moments before securing the title, Praggnanandhaa was seen pacing around the playing area. The pressure of the moment was clearly visible as he tried to stay composed while realizing he was close to a historic win.

After Keymer resigned, the Indian grandmaster officially became the Norway Chess 2026 champion.

Speaking after the match, Praggnanandhaa admitted that the tension started building once he realized he had a winning position.

"I still don't feel like I just won. When I started feeling I was winning, I felt a lot of tension. I still am in the same zone," he said.

Victory Over Gukesh Was a Turning Point

Earlier in the tournament, Praggnanandhaa's crucial win against fellow Indian grandmaster D Gukesh helped revive his title hopes.

Reflecting on his comeback, he said he was proud of fighting back after being near the bottom of the standings just days earlier.

The young star also expressed satisfaction with his performance against Gukesh, saying he managed his time and calculations much better than in previous encounters.

First Indian to Win Norway Chess

Praggnanandhaa finished the tournament with 18 points, one point ahead of American grandmaster Wesley So.

Despite losing two games earlier in the event, he never gave up and continued focusing on playing good chess.

His victory marks another major milestone for Indian chess and further establishes him as one of the brightest stars in the sport.