Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa delivered another stunning result against World No.1 Magnus Carlsen at the Norway Chess 2026 tournament in Oslo, continuing a rapidly growing rivalry that has become one of the most talked-about storylines in modern chess. For Praggnanandhaa, it was a deja vu moment as he defeated Carlsen for the second time at Norway Chess, following his breakthrough win in 2024.
In 2024, Praggnanandhaa registered his first-ever classical victory over the Norwegian superstar at the same event, marking a major milestone in his career and announcing his arrival at the elite level. The latest result further strengthened his reputation as one of the brightest young talents in world chess.
The defeat, meanwhile, marked another setback for Carlsen in a turbulent tournament start, with the Norwegian reportedly struggling with form and time-pressure errors at key moments. Despite entering the game with strong expectations, Carlsen once again found himself in a complex middlegame position against Praggnanandhaa.
Praggnanandhaa gradually outplayed Carlsen with steady, precise play and appeared in control for much of the encounter. However, the momentum shifted in severe time trouble, where Carlsen briefly created chances to turn the game in his favour. In a dramatic final phase, the Norwegian made a decisive mistake under pressure and resigned shortly after, conceding victory to Praggnanandhaa.
While Praggnanandhaa grabbed headlines with his win over Carlsen, reigning World Champion D. Gukesh Dommaraju and tournament leader Alireza Firouzja played out a hard-fought classical draw after a tense battle. Firouzja later edged the Armageddon tiebreak to secure the extra points and continue his strong start to the tournament.
In the other classical game, Vincent Keymer and Wesley So also shared the point after a balanced contest. So went on to win the Armageddon decider, taking the additional points. After round three, Firouzja continues to lead the standings following another productive day.
In the Norway Chess Women section, Anna Muzychuk and Humpy Koneru played out a balanced classical game that eventually ended in a draw. Muzychuk later won the Armageddon tiebreak to claim the extra points.
In the other match, tournament leader Bibisara Assaubayeva and Divya Deshmukh contested a complex game before sharing the classical point. Divya then secured victory in Armageddon to take the additional points.
After round three, Assaubayeva remains at the top of the standings, though Divya and Zhu Jiner are closing in with crucial Armageddon wins.
Source: India Today