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Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa connected Friday (June 5, 2026) defeated German Vincent Keymer successful the 10th and last circular astatine Deichman Bjorvika to triumph the Norway Chess 2026.
He topped the leaderboard with 18 points, 1 up of American Wesley So, with his convincing triumph successful the last round.
He is the archetypal Indian to look champion successful the prestigious tournament.
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The 20-year-old subordinate won 4 classical games connected the trot to instrumentality the apical spot aft So’s chances of claiming the trophy ended aft his crippled against Alireza Firouzja ended successful a draw.
The stalemate betwixt the overnight person So and the Frenchman besides meant Firouzja couldn’t triumph.
Praggnanandhaa had connected Thursday outgunned the World champion and compatriot D. Gukesh to surge to the 2nd spot down So.
It was a alternatively singular turnaround by him aft having slipped to the past spot connected the points array aft a mid-tournament struggle.
“I didn’t deliberation astir this erstwhile I mislaid 2 games successful a row—I conscionable wanted to play chess,” Praggnanandhaa said aft the memorable win.
Later, So bushed Firouzja successful the Armageddon to decorativeness with 17 points.
World No.1 Magnus Carlsen ended a forgettable tournament, by beating Gukesh to debar the woody spoon, which was taken by the satellite champion.
In the women’s event, the last circular saw each the classical games extremity decisively. Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubeyava, who had won the apical prize with a circular to spare connected Thursday, went down to satellite champion Ju Wenjun. She ended up with 16.5 points portion China’s Zhu Jiner outplayed the Indian ace Koneru Humpy to surge to 16 points and the 2nd spot.
Ukraine’s Anna Muzychuk claimed the 3rd spot aft beating Divya Deshmukh successful the past round.
The results
10th round: Open: Alireza Firouza (Fra, 15.5) mislaid to Wesley So (USA, 17) successful Armageddon, Vincent Keymer (Ger, 11) mislaid to R. Praggnanandhaa (18), Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 13) bt D. Gukesh (8).
Women: Zhu Jiner (Chn, 16) bt Koneru Humpy (9), Ju Wenjun (Chn, 13.5) bt Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kaz, 16.5), Anna Muzychuk (Ukr, 15) bt Divya Deshmukh (10).
(The writer is successful Oslo astatine the invitation of Norway Chess.)
