Chess
History made! Praggnanandhaa becomes first Indian to win Norway Chess title
Indian Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu made history on Friday by becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious Norway Chess tournament, clinching the 2026 title in Oslo with a final-round victory over Germany's Vincent Keymer.
The 20-year-old entered the final round in third place on 15 points and needed a strong finish to stay in contention for the title.
🇮🇳 PRAGG WINS NORWAY CHESS 2026
— Norway Chess (@NorwayChess) June 5, 2026
From last place in round 6, and 4 back-to-back wins, he finishes first 🤯🤯#NorwayChess pic.twitter.com/J0XbX91NQ4
Playing with the white pieces, Praggnanandhaa converted his advantage against Keymer into a crucial victory, earning three points and moving to 18 points overall.
The win completed a remarkable late surge and secured him the Norway Chess 2026 crown after 10 rounds, ahead of Wesley So and Alireza Firouzja.
Meanwhile, the final-round encounter between World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju ended in a classical victory for Carlsen.
Praggnanandhaa's triumph marks a historic milestone for Indian chess, as he became the first player from the country to lift the Norway Chess title.
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