Norway Chess: Praggnanandhaa beats Carlsen again; Gukesh’s title hopes end

Young Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa delivered another stunning blow to hometown hero and world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, defeating the Norwegian in classical chess for the second time at Norway Chess 2026 on Tuesday to dramatically strengthen his bid to become the first Indian champion of the prestigious tournament.

In a remarkable achievement in the elite double round-robin event, Praggnanandhaa became the only player to beat Carlsen twice in classical games this year, underlining his growing stature among the world's elite.

The victory lifted the 20-year-old to 12 points and third place, while simultaneously dealing what could prove to be a fatal blow to Carlsen's hopes of securing an eighth Norway Chess title.

With just two rounds remaining, the defending champion's title defence now hangs by a thread.

Carlsen has endured an uncharacteristically turbulent campaign, suffering four classical defeats, including two at the hands of the Indian prodigy, who has emerged as one of the biggest challengers to the Norwegian's long-standing dominance.

At the top of the standings, American Grandmaster Wesley So continued his impressive run, defeating Germany's Vincent Keymer in the Armageddon tie-break to extend his lead to 14 points. France's Alireza Firouzja climbed to sole second on 13 points after outplaying reigning world champion D. Gukesh in their classical encounter.

The defeat effectively ended Gukesh's hopes of lifting the Norway Chess crown. Stuck on eight points, the Indian can reach a maximum of only 14 points even if he wins his remaining two games in classical format, a tally unlikely to be enough to challenge for the title.

It was Gukesh's third classical loss of the tournament as the world champion continues to balance elite tournament commitments ahead of his title defence against Uzbek challenger Javokhir Sindarov later this year.

For Praggnanandhaa, however, the dream remains very much alive. Having already toppled Carlsen twice on his home turf, the Indian star has thrust himself firmly into the title conversation and ensured that the final two rounds will be played under immense pressure, not least for the Norwegian icon whose fortress has been breached more often than ever before.

With PTI inputs