By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa achieved a landmark feat on Friday by clinching the Norway Chess Championship, becoming the first player from India to lift the prestigious title. The 20-year-old Grandmaster from Chennai secured the crown after overcoming Germany’s Vincent Keymer in the tournament’s final classical round.
The victory marked one of the biggest accomplishments of Praggnanandhaa’s young career and earned him the championship prize money of $100,000. His triumph also highlighted his ability to compete successfully against some of the strongest players in the world.
Praggnanandhaa finished the competition with 18 points, aided by a strong overall performance that included five wins, two losses and two draws. He capitalised on several mistakes from Keymer in the decisive encounter to ensure a memorable finish to the tournament.
The Indian Grandmaster ended the event at the top of the standings, narrowly ahead of American player Wesley So, who accumulated 17 points. So remained unbeaten for much of the competition, recording two victories and eight draws, including a final-round draw against France’s Alireza Firouzja.
Firouzja secured third place with 15.5 points, while Keymer’s loss in the closing round saw him finish fifth on 11 points.
In contrast, the tournament proved challenging for reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju. The Indian star ended at the bottom of the six-player field with eight points, managing just one win while suffering five defeats and drawing four games.
The Norway Chess triumph comes at a crucial time for Praggnanandhaa, who had dropped to 16th in the latest world rankings released earlier this month. His title-winning run in Stavanger has strengthened his position among the world’s leading chess players and provided a significant boost to his international standing.