The Indian grandmaster defeated Vincent Keymer in the final round to secure his first title of 2026, capping a remarkable comeback that included victories over Magnus Carlsen, Gukesh and Alireza Firouzja
New Delhi: India’s chess star R Praggnanandhaa captured the Norway Chess 2026 crown on Saturday after defeating Germany’s Vincent Keymer in a classical game in the final round at Oslo’s Deichman Bjørvika.
The triumph marked the 20-year-old grandmaster’s first major title of 2026 and completed an extraordinary turnaround in a tournament where he had briefly found himself near the bottom of the standings.
Praggnanandhaa finished strongly, winning four consecutive classical games in the closing stages. His decisive run included victories over Alireza Firouzja, world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, reigning world champion D Gukesh, and finally Keymer. Notably, he also completed a rare double over Carlsen during the event.
Reflecting on his resurgence earlier in the tournament, Praggnanandhaa had said, “I’m happy that I’m still in the race because three days back I was fighting for the last spot. And now I have a chance at fighting. So I’ll take it.”
His victory over Gukesh proved particularly significant. “Quite proud about this game honestly,” he said, adding that he managed both his calculations and time effectively against the world champion.
The title caps a memorable week for the Chennai-born prodigy, who demonstrated resilience, composure and elite form against some of the strongest players in world chess, reaffirming his place among the sport’s leading young stars.
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