Praggnanandhaa beats Carlsen twice at Norway Chess 2026

Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa defeated world number one Magnus Carlsen for the second time at the Norway Chess 2026 tournament in Oslo, a historic achievement last accomplished against Carlsen 19 years ago. The 20-year-old from Chennai secured the victory with the black pieces in the tournament's eighth round on Wednesday, having previously beaten the Norwegian champion in an earlier round. This marks the first instance since 2007 that a player has defeated Carlsen twice in a single classical chess tournament, matching a feat previously achieved only by Indian legend Viswanathan Anand.

The win elevates Praggnanandhaa to third place in the standings with 12 points, keeping him in contention for the tournament title with two rounds remaining. American Grandmaster Wesley So leads with 14 points, followed by France's Alireza Firouzja with 13 points. Praggnanandhaa's repeated success against Carlsen, which includes a victory in the 2024 edition of Norway Chess, underscores his rising prominence in elite chess.

Despite the significance of the victory, Praggnanandhaa remained focused on the tournament's overall standings. He stated that winning a game at this stage was more...