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R Praggnanandhaa defeated Magnus Carlsen in round three of Norway Chess, while world champion D Gukesh suffered another setback in Oslo.
Pragg upsets Carlsen at Norway Chess (X/NorwayChess)
R Praggnanandhaa produced another memorable performance against Magnus Carlsen, defeating the world No. 1 in round three of Norway Chess on Wednesday to strengthen his title challenge in Oslo.
The Indian Grandmaster secured all three points from the classical game in a tense battle that further highlighted his growing confidence against Carlsen on one of chess’ biggest stages.
The win lifted Praggnanandhaa to 4.5 points and sole second place in the standings, trailing only Alireza Firouzja, who leads the tournament with 7.5 points.
The Indian had defeated the Norwegian in the classical format for the first time during the 2024 edition of Norway Chess, and Wednesday’s victory reinforced his ability to consistently challenge the five-time world champion.
Speaking after the match, Praggnanandhaa described the result as a “really big win” and admitted he had been fortunate to come through the complicated encounter.
The 19-year-old arrived in Oslo in excellent form after strong performances at the Superbet Chess Classic Romania in Bucharest, and he has carried that momentum into Norway Chess.
Gukesh’s Struggles Persist
Meanwhile, reigning world champion D Gukesh continued to struggle for rhythm in the tournament.
Gukesh fought for nearly five hours in his classical game against Firouzja, but neither player could force a breakthrough before the match moved into Armageddon. Firouzja eventually prevailed in the tie-break, handing the Indian another frustrating defeat.
“Completely winning throughout the game,” Gukesh admitted while reflecting on Firouzja’s dominance during the contest.
The latest setback leaves the world champion on 3.5 points and fourth in the six-player Open section standings.
Gukesh’s inconsistent run since winning the world title has continued in Oslo, raising questions about form and momentum ahead of his scheduled world championship defence later this year against challenger Javokhir Sindarov.
Elsewhere, Firouzja’s victory over Gukesh ensured the French-Iranian Grandmaster maintained his position at the top of the leaderboard after another impressive display in the tournament.
(with PTI inputs)
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