R Praggnanandhaa Exclusive Interview: “Winning Against Magnus Carlsen Is Something I’ve Always Wanted”

NEW DELHI: In a country where the shadow of Magnus Carlsen looms over every square of the board, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa stepped into Norwegian Chess 2026 and did what no Indian had done before by claiming the world number one title in his own backyard.The 20-year-old from Chennai started the second half of the event from the bottom of the open category table, only to stage a remarkable comeback that included two classic wins over Carlsen, a win over reigning world champion Dommaraju Gukesh and a classic last-round victory over Germany No.1 Vincent Keymer. When fellow title contenders Wesley So and Alireza Firouzja shared the points on the neighboring board on Friday, the Norwegian chess crown found a new home in India and Praggnanandhaa became the first Indian champion in the history of the tournament. In an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com, the Indian grandmaster opened up about his victory in beating five-time world champion Carlsen twice in classical chess, the role of his family and support team, lessons learned from recent setbacks and much more. Excerpts. Q. Hi, Pragg. First of all, congratulations on the win. Could you tell us if winning in Norwegian chess is different from winning in other classical tournaments such as Neighborhood by the sea?Yeah, winning this tournament is more special for various reasons. To be in last place after round 6, halfway through the tournament, and then come back like that doesn’t happen often. And also beating Magnus (twice) in the process and also winning the tournament before Magnus is something I’ve always wanted. So I think all these things make this tournament that much more special. And yes, this will definitely be at the top of my wins and yes, it will always be a special memory.Q: What was the reaction from back home?Of course my parents are very happy. After returning to the room I spoke to them. For the last 10 months I have not succeeded, so they are also happy that I have managed to achieve this breakthrough after some time. And yes, they were quite happy. Q: You were there when Vaishali won the women’s Candidates. Did her victory change anything in you, thinking or ambition?Yeah, I would say my sister winning the candidates definitely helped me get through my candidates tournament. I was a little upset after the tournament, but when I saw that she won, it made me happy and I was so proud of her. It sure inspires you when someone achieves that in your own home, so I’m really happy for her.Q: Could you tell us something about the Grandmaster Vaibhav Suri? What is he like as a mentor, on and off the board?Vaibhav is my second and good friend. I think when you’re in a tournament, you should have someone to not only help you with the opening and so on, but also someone to talk to after a good game or a bad game, someone to make you feel good. And Vaibhav fits the role so well. He’s great at what he does, but also as a human being he’s one of the nicest people I’ve met. So yeah, I’m really happy to have him on the team and I’m grateful for all the hard work he’s done in the last year since we started working together. But not only him, there are also other seconds. There is RB Ramesh Sir who has always been there through my ups and downs. So without coaches, it is simply not possible to be where I am.Q: Since mid-2025, your results are somewhat mixed. Was there a point during that period when you felt particularly disappointed or discouraged? If so, how did you overcome this disappointment?I didn’t have great results in late 2025 and (early) 2026. There were definitely low periods, but I felt that after Wijk Aan Zee this year my game improved.Also in the candidates I felt like my mind was working well but some results were not coming. But yeah, I felt this tournament and the last one that I have a lot more control over what I’m doing. I felt that I was getting back to playing quality chess.But I certainly didn’t perform at my best between September 2025 and the candidates. I had some bad results but these things happen and as a player you tend to deal with them. You have to get through these times and I’m grateful for all the support the people around me have given me. People around me always believed in me. My family, my coaches, my sponsors, they have always supported me.Q: Could you clarify whether the points you have scored in Norwegian Chess will count towards the FIDE circuit? What are your plans and goals for the next candidate cycle?Yes, this tournament counts towards the FIDE circuit. I remember it was not counted in 2024, but the FIDE Circuit was new then, so there were still a lot of changes to be made. But this tournament now counts for the FIDE Circuit.I really don’t want to think about it now (next candidate cycle 2026-2028). I just want to have fun, play and enjoy chess. But it’s good that I’m on the FIDE Circuit board. More than that, I’m happy to have won the tournament.Like I said, I don’t want to think about candidates right now. I just finished the previous cycle and for about two years I focused only on candidates. I don’t want to spend another two years thinking about another cycle. I think that would be too much for me. I just want to enjoy chess, have fun with the game, and if I play well, I’m sure I can do it. So I just want to enjoy chess, do my best and play well in all the tournaments I play. Q: How do you plan to celebrate this win when you return to India? Do you have something special in mind?After returning home, I have nothing concrete to do. I will try to rest as much as possible. In next 10 days I will play FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships for Chess Gurukul and for Ramesh Sir. Like I said, I want to do my best in every tournament I play, so I want to be well rested for that. But I guess there will be some small celebration with the family. I don’t have anything planned, but just being with my family will be a celebration.Q: And finally, any words about the support you have received from your sponsors?As I said, I am really grateful for the support from The Adani Group. They were always there despite my downfalls. They never asked me why something was happening or asked me about the results. They have always just supported me and even if there is a small problem, they are always ready to support me and help to solve it.It feels more like a family because it’s been two and a half years now and we feel much closer. I want to personally thank Gautam Adani Sir. I met him last year and had the opportunity to have breakfast with him. It is truly an honor to meet him and get his blessings every time. So I am really grateful to him. I think it’s very important that players get this kind of corporate support, and I’m glad I get it and I’m always grateful for it.