Praggnanandhaa Makes History by Winning Norway Chess Championship
Historic Victory for Praggnanandhaa
File image of GM Praggnanandhaa(Source: X)
Stavanger (Norway), June 6: Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu achieved a remarkable feat on Friday night, marking a significant comeback in the Super Tournament by becoming the first Indian to clinch the title at the Norway Chess championship. He triumphed over Germany's Vincent Keymer in the decisive 10th round of the classical chess event.
This victory not only earned the 20-year-old from Chennai the prestigious championship but also a cash prize of $100,000. In the final round, Praggnanandhaa secured his win against Keymer, while Wesley So drew with Alireza Firouzja, and World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen concluded his home tournament with a victory over reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju.
Utilizing the white pieces, Praggnanandhaa took advantage of Keymer's errors during the middle game, achieving victory on the 45th move. He finished the tournament with a total of 18 points, comprising five wins, two losses, and two draws, both of which he won in Armageddon.
The former World No. 4 outperformed overnight leader Wesley So from the United States, who ended the tournament with 17 points after drawing with Firouzja. So managed two wins and eight draws, winning six of those in Armageddon. In the 10th round, So earned 1.5 points against Firouzja's one.
Firouzja, a French player of Iranian descent, secured third place with 15.5 points in this unique scoring format, where a win grants three points, and a draw awards one point to each player, with an additional bonus point available for winning in Armageddon. Magnus Carlsen, who faced two defeats against Praggnanandhaa during the tournament, finished with 13 points from three wins, four losses, and three draws, including two Armageddon victories.
Keymer placed fifth with 11 points, while Gukesh Dommaraju, the reigning Classical World Champion from India, finished last with eight points, which included one win, five losses, and four draws, along with two Armageddon wins.
As the final round unfolded, all eyes were on Praggnanandhaa, who was trailing by half a point behind Wesley So. He took the lead after So agreed to an early draw with Firouzja and successfully converted his middle game advantage into a decisive win against Keymer, who made several questionable moves.
Praggnanandhaa, who had recently dropped to No. 16 in the World Rankings as of June 1, showcased an exceptional performance in Norway Chess, rebounding from a challenging position to secure the prestigious title.
After being in last place following the sixth round, he achieved an impressive four-game winning streak, which included a second victory over Carlsen and a crucial win against compatriot Gukesh, propelling him into title contention. This marked the first winning streak of its kind in the event since Carlsen's in 2021.