R Praggnanandhaa Triumphs Over Magnus Carlsen Again at Norway Chess 2026

In an impressive display of talent, R Praggnanandhaa has defeated Magnus Carlsen for the second time at Norway Chess 2026, solidifying his position as a top contender. Meanwhile, D Gukesh's title hopes have been dashed after a significant loss. With two rounds remaining, Praggnanandhaa is now in third place, while Carlsen struggles to regain his form. The women's tournament also saw Bibisara Assaubayeva strengthen her lead. Read on for more details on this thrilling chess event.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 3, 2026, 14:21 IST

Praggnanandhaa's Remarkable Victory

In a stunning display of skill, young Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has once again bested world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in a classical match at Norway Chess 2026. This marks the second time he has defeated the Norwegian, significantly enhancing his chances of becoming the first Indian champion of this prestigious tournament.

Meanwhile, world champion D Gukesh's aspirations for the title came to an abrupt end following a significant Round 8 loss to French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja. Gukesh now finds himself at the bottom of the leaderboard with eight points, struggling to regain his form since his world title victory in 2024.

Praggnanandhaa's achievement is particularly noteworthy as he is the only player to have defeated Carlsen twice in classical games this year, highlighting his rising prominence in the chess world.

With two rounds remaining, Praggnanandhaa's victory has propelled him to third place with 12 points, trailing Alireza by just one point and leading American GM Wesley So, who sits at 14 points after a tie-break win against Germany's Vincent Keymer.

Carlsen's disappointing performance continues, leaving his quest for an eighth Norway Chess title nearly impossible. Currently, he has only nine points, and even winning two classical matches may not suffice to bring him back into contention.

This year has been unusually challenging for the five-time world champion, who has now suffered three defeats at the hands of Praggnanandhaa, who previously defeated him in the 2024 tournament, establishing himself as a formidable challenger to Carlsen's long-standing reign.

After the match, Praggnanandhaa expressed, "Winning this game is more crucial for the tournament than the fact that it was against Magnus. While it's fantastic to win against him, securing any victory at this stage is beneficial." He played with the black pieces and maneuvered the game into a queen-and-bishop endgame with an extra pawn, a scenario that typically leads to a draw. However, he maintained pressure, ultimately causing Carlsen to falter.

Reflecting on the match, he noted, "It was an engaging game. I applied pressure consistently, both on the clock and the board. Carlsen defended admirably under time constraints, and it seemed like it could end in a draw. I've lost too many points due to time issues, so reclaiming some feels good."

When asked if he believed a shift in dominance was occurring, Praggnanandhaa dismissed the idea that facing Carlsen had become easier. "He remains exceptionally skilled... with around 20 world titles, no one is close. I've had some positive results recently, but I wouldn't say it's easier to compete against Magnus," he stated.

He acknowledged that while Carlsen is still a strong player, his performance in this tournament has been affected by time pressure, which has not favored him. "If you remove those moments, he still plays well," Praggnanandhaa added.

In the upcoming ninth round, Praggnanandhaa will face Gukesh, who has fallen to last place following his defeat to Alireza.

In the Women's Norway Chess, two decisive classical games and one Armageddon finish occurred in Round 8, with Bibisara Assaubayeva solidifying her lead in the title race.

Assaubayeva achieved a vital classical win over Divya Deshmukh, turning the tide after Deshmukh faced time trouble, securing all three points.

Zhu Jiner from China also claimed a classical victory against reigning women's world champion Ju Wenjun, leveling her score with Divya at 10 points.

Defending champion Anna Muzychuk and Koneru Humpy ended their classical match in a draw, followed by another drawn Armageddon battle, which awarded Humpy bonus points as she played with the black pieces.

With two rounds left, Bibisara leads the women's competition with 15.5 points, followed by Muzychuk at 10.5, while Divya and Zhu are tied at 10 points.

Results (Round 8)

Open: Alireza Firouzja (Fra, 13) bt D. Gukesh (Ind, 8); Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 9) lost to R. Praggnanandhaa (Ind, 12); Wesley So (USA, 14) bt Vincent Keymer (USA, 10).

Women: Zhu Jiner (Chn, 10) bt Ju Wenjun (Chn, 9); Divya Deshmukh (Ind, 10) lost to Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kaz, 15.5); Anna Muzychuk (Ukr, 10.5) bt Koneru Humpy (Ind, 8).