Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa etched his name into the history books on Friday, becoming the first Indian player to lift the prestigious Norway Chess crown after defeating Germany’s Vincent Keymer in the final round. The triumph capped off a remarkable campaign for the young Grandmaster against some of the finest and biggest names in chess.
Starting the day in third place on 15 points, Praggnanandhaa produced a flawless finish when the stakes were at their highest. His classical victory over Keymer earned him three crucial points, taking his tally to 18 and securing one of the most coveted titles in world chess.
In doing so, the 20-year-old Chennai player achieved a feat that had eluded even Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand and reigning world champion D Gukesh among others, since the tournament’s inception in 2013.
Competing in Norway Chess for only the second time, Praggnanandhaa endured a slow start in the elite six-player field before gathering momentum in the second half of the event.
His campaign was highlighted by a remarkable achievement – defeating seven-time Norway Chess champion and World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen twice in classical chess — a rare accomplishment that underlined his determination to bounce back from the disappointment of an underwhelming Candidates Tournament in Paphos earlier this year.
As reigning world champion Gukesh fell out of contention in the closing stages, Praggnanandhaa ensured that India’s challenge remained alive, ultimately carrying it all the way to the title.
The result was made possible after American Grandmaster Wesley So, who led the standings with 15.5 points heading into the final round, was held to a draw in his classical game against Alireza Firouzja, sending their contest into an Armageddon tie-break.
That outcome opened the door for Praggnanandhaa, who knew that a classical victory over Keymer would propel him to the top of the standings and secure a landmark title.
Although Wesley So went on to win the Armageddon tie-break, the victory was worth only 1.5 points, taking his tally to 17 points – one short of Praggnanandhaa’s winning total of 18.
Alireza, who had also entered the final round with title hopes, finished third with 15.5 points.
Meanwhile, Gukesh’s disappointing campaign continued as his third appearance in the tournament ended without the breakthrough he had hoped for in a year when he is set to defend his world title against challenger Javokhir Sindarov.
In the final round, Carlsen, playing with the white pieces, defeated the 20-year-old Indian in a classical game to collect three full points. However, the victory was not enough to propel the Norwegian great into title contention, as he finished fifth in the standings with 13 points.
(With inputs from PTI)
