Indian grandmaster Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu wins Norway Chess 2026 title with a dramatic final-round victory.
Praggnanandhaa Norway Chess Champion 2026 title belongs to the Indian grandmaster. Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu won the prestigious tournament in Oslo on Friday after a strong final-round performance.The event concluded with a dramatic final round. Praggnanandhaa defeated Vincent Keymer with the white pieces in classical chess. This victory gave him the full three points and lifted him to 18 points total.
Praggnanandhaa Norway Chess Champion Victory
Praggnanandhaa started the final round half a point behind leader Wesley So. He needed a win and delivered it. His four consecutive classical victories in the closing stages proved decisive.
Wesley So drew his classical game against Alireza Firouzja and took 1.5 points from the Armageddon tiebreak. He finished second with 17 points. Firouzja placed third.
Praggnanandhaa showed great resilience. He recovered from a lower position on the leaderboard after round six. The Indian star then beat top players including Alireza Firouzja and Magnus Carlsen in classical games during his winning streak.
This marks the first time an Indian player has won Norway Chess. The 14th edition of the tournament featured many of the world’s top grandmasters.
After the win, Praggnanandhaa shared his feelings. “Yeah I still don’t feel like I won… once I started feeling like I am winning I started to feel a lot of tension,” he said in a post-game interview. He remained in a focused zone even after the victory.
Chess fans across India and the world celebrate the achievement. The win highlights Praggnanandhaa’s rise as one of the top talents in global chess. As a grandmaster since age 12 and from Chennai, he continues to inspire young players.
People can expect more coverage of the games and analysis from the event in the coming days. Chess enthusiasts may review the key matches, especially Praggnanandhaa’s wins against top opponents.The Norway Chess 2026 results confirm Praggnanandhaa at the top with 18 points. His performance included notable victories and a strong finish that secured the champion title. This success adds to his growing list of achievements in elite chess competitions.
PM Modi Congratulates Praggnanandhaa
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Praggnanandhaa on his victory. In a post on X, Modi wrote: “Congratulations to Praggnanandhaa for this remarkable feat! This is indeed an incredible milestone that highlights his continued excellence. My best wishes to him for his future endeavours.” Modi tagged the young grandmaster in the message.
