Praggnanandhaa scripts historic comeback to win Norway Chess, becoming first Indian champion after dramatic late surge and final-round victory over Keymer in Stavanger, reports Asian Lite News Desk
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa produced a stunning late surge to clinch the Norway Chess title, becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious tournament after defeating Germany’s Vincent Keymer in the final round in Stavanger.
The 20-year-old from Chennai capped off one of the most remarkable comebacks in the event’s history, overturning a difficult start to finish on top of the standings with 18 points. His victory in the 10th and final round, achieved with the white pieces, came after capitalising on mid-game errors by Keymer before sealing the result on the 45th move.
Praggnanandhaa’s triumph earned him the $100,000 top prize and marked a milestone moment in Indian chess, particularly in a tournament featuring elite names including world No.1 Magnus Carlsen and reigning world champion D Gukesh.
Going into the final round, Praggnanandhaa trailed overnight leader Wesley So by half a point. However, So’s draw against Alireza Firouzja opened the door, allowing the Indian Grandmaster to leapfrog into the lead with his decisive victory.
The tournament followed a special scoring format, awarding three points for a win and one point for a draw, with an additional Armageddon tie-break offering a bonus point. So finished second with 17 points, while Firouzja secured third place with 15.5 points.
Carlsen, playing on home soil, ended fourth with 13 points despite a win in the final round against Gukesh. Notably, the Norwegian had suffered two defeats to Praggnanandhaa during the tournament — a key factor in the Indian’s title-winning campaign.
Praggnanandhaa’s success was all the more remarkable given his position midway through the competition. After six rounds, he was at the bottom of the standings with just six points. What followed was a dramatic turnaround: four consecutive classical victories, including a second win over Carlsen and a crucial penultimate-round triumph over Gukesh, propelled him into contention.
Reflecting on his resurgence, Praggnanandhaa revealed a simple but striking source of motivation — a remark from his mother, Nagalakshmi. “She told me it is a new month, you will play well. I thought it was one of those things that mothers say, but then I won four games in a row,” he said after lifting the trophy.
He also pointed to a shift in his approach during the latter stages of the tournament. Playing at a quicker pace and maintaining better time control allowed him to produce consistently high-quality moves under pressure.
Despite entering a winning position in the final game, Praggnanandhaa admitted he remained cautious until the very end. “It was only after he resigned that I relaxed,” he said, underscoring the tension of a high-stakes finish.
