Praggnanandhaa Beats Carlsen in Norway Chess, Moves to 2nd

Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa defeated world number one Magnus Carlsen in a classical chess match during the third round of the Norway Chess tournament in Oslo on Wednesday. The victory propelled Praggnanandhaa to second place in the standings while Carlsen fell to the bottom of the six-player field.

The 20-year-old from Chennai secured the win after 62 moves, forcing Carlsen to resign. This marks Praggnanandhaa's second classical victory over the Norwegian superstar at the Norway Chess event, having first defeated him in the 2024 edition. Following the match, Praggnanandhaa described the win as crucial for improving his tournament position but expressed dissatisfaction with his play during the time scramble, characterizing the endgame as a street fight where control was lost.

In other results from the Open section, tournament leader Alireza Firouzja of France maintained his strong form by defeating reigning world champion D. Gukesh. Their classical game ended in a draw, but Firouzja prevailed in the Armageddon tiebreaker to claim additional points and extend his lead. Firouzja competed despite an injury sustained at a previous tournament, leaving the venue in a...