Magnus Carlsen left in awe of Norwegian chess Praggnanandhaa’s heroics: “It’s pretty crazy”

R Praggnanandhaa and Magnus Carlsen (Free Chess | Lennart Ootes) Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa completed a remarkable comeback to win the Norwegian Chess 2026 title, earning praise from none other than World No.1 Magnus Carlsen after a stunning finish to the tournament.20-year history of the Oslo scenario by becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious Norwegian chess tournament. Praggnanandhaa entered the final round behind US Grandmaster Wesley So, but produced a masterful performance when it mattered most.Praggnanandhaa needed a win over Germany’s Vincent Keymer and So to drop points against France’s Alirez Firouzja saw the two results mesh perfectly. He defeated Keymer in a brilliant display of attacking chess, while So and Firouzja settled for a draw to hand the Indian star the title.Having endured a tough tournament by his high standards, Carlsen was among the first to acknowledge Praggnanandhaa’s success. Nor was particularly impressed by his ability to deliver under pressure in the closing stages.“He’s won the last four classic fights. That’s as clutch as it gets. Pragg is an incredible fighter and it’s fun to see him rewarded for that,” Carlsen said.The five-time world champion further underlined the importance of success.“That’s pretty crazy. As clutch as it gets and it just shows that it would be possible for me with a similar finish. But yeah, it’s incredible. It shows you the volatility of the system and he’s an incredible fighter. It’s fun to see him rewarded for that,” he added.

Pragg’s unforgettable double over Carlsen

One of the defining stories of Norwegian Chess 2026 was Praggnanandha’s dominance over Carlsen in classical chess.The Indian grandmaster defeated the world number one twice during the tournament, first in the 3rd round and then again in the 8th round. The second victory was particularly significant as Praggnanandhaa became one of the few players to defeat Carlsen twice in the same classic tournament. The wins proved crucial in keeping him in contention for the title.Nerves of steel in the final roundThe title-clinching victory over Keymer came in a dynamic Queen’s Gambit Declined. Praggnanandhaa gradually improved his position before launching a decisive royal attack. Key moments included an aggressive 33.f5 and a strong 38.Ne6+ that exposed the black king and eventually led to a winning rook.

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