Praggnanandhaa recreates Anand’s 19-year-old feat with second win over Carlsen at Norway Chess
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa achieved a milestone last seen nearly two decades ago, defeating Magnus Carlsen for the second time at the ongoing Norway Chess tournament and matching a feat accomplished only by Vishwanathan Anand in the modern era.
The 20-year-old prodigy from Chennai outplayed Carlsen in the eighth round on Wednesday, adding to his victory over the Norwegian in Round 3. Having already beaten the former world champion with the white pieces earlier in the tournament, Praggnanandhaa completed a memorable double with black, underlining his growing stature among the world’s elite players.
The achievement is particularly significant because no player had managed to beat Carlsen twice in the same classical tournament in the last 19 years. The previous player to do so was Anand, who defeated the Norwegian twice at the prestigious Linares tournament in 2007.
Praggnanandhaa, however, was reluctant to dwell on the historic nature of the result. Instead, he stressed the importance of collecting points in a tightly contested tournament. “More than beating Magnus, I think winning a game in this tournament is more important at this stage. So I’m happy that I managed to do that,” he said after the match.
The Indian star also credited Carlsen for making the victory far from straightforward. He praised the Norwegian’s defensive skills and admitted he believed the game was heading toward a draw before a late mistake changed the outcome.
“He was defending extremely well and kept finding the right moves. I felt the game was likely to end in a draw because he wasn’t giving away much. It was surprising that he eventually made a mistake because he had handled the position so well,” Praggnanandhaa said.
The victory keeps the Indian firmly in the hunt for top honours as the tournament enters its final phase. While satisfied with his overall form, Praggnanandhaa believes managing his clock better could be the key to an even stronger finish.
“I feel I’m playing good chess. The only thing that hasn’t gone my way is the time scramble situation. I’ll try to keep more time on the clock and continue playing the way I have in the last few rounds,” he said.
After a rest day, Praggnanandhaa faces a crucial challenge against reigning world champion D Gukesh before taking on Germany’s Vincent Keymer in the final round.
With 12 points, the Chennai grandmaster is currently third in the standings behind Wesley So and Alireza Firouzja, but remains well placed to mount a late charge for the Norway Chess title.
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