R Praggnanandhaa made headlines in Round 8 of Norway Chess 2026 by defeating World No.1 Magnus Carlsen, marking his second victory against the Norwegian in the tournament.
R Praggnanandhaa created history in Round 8 of the Norway Chess 2026 in Oslo. He defeated World No.1 Magnus Carlsen, securing his second consecutive win in the same tournament against the Norwegian chess legend. He had earlier beaten him in Round 4. Previously too, the 20-year-old Indian Grandmaster had defeated Carlsen in the 2024 edition of Norway Chess. This makes Praggnanandhaa the first Indian, and among a very select few in the world, to defeat Magnus Carlsen thrice.
Playing with the black pieces, Praggnanandhaa entered the Round 8 matchup aiming to replicate the success he found against Carlsen in Round 4. The game evolved into an intense battle of nerves and wits. However, even under pressure, Praggnanandhaa successfully kept the five-time World Champion under the pump.
As the clock ticked down, Magnus Carlsen found himself in severe time trouble and struggled to find accurate defensive moves. The pressure ultimately forced a crucial blunder from the Norwegian, leading to a forced mate and securing Praggnanandhaa’s victory. With this win, Praggnanandhaa remained on third place with 12 points and remains firmly in contention for the Norway Chess 2026 title. He currently sits closely behind tournament leader Wesley So (14 points) and France’s Alireza Firouzja (13 points).
Despite the monumental nature of beating Magnus Carlsen twice in the same event, R Praggnanandhaa remained focussed on the broader tournament implications.
“It’s more important for the tournament that I get this win than thinking that it’s Magnus,” Praggnanandhaa noted after the match in the press conference.
“Of course, it’s great to do it against Magnus, but I think winning any game at this stage of the tournament is good,” he added.
D Gukesh Stumbles Against Alireza Firouzja
While R Praggnanandhaa soared, it was a difficult round 8 for World Champion D Gukesh.
Facing Alireza Firouzja in his classical game, Gukesh was unable to find his footing and ultimately suffered his third defeat of the tournament.
The loss drops Gukesh further down the standings, capping off a challenging run of form in Norway, while the victory allowed Firouzja to leapfrog into second place and maintain pressure on Wesley So.
Divya Deshmukh Falls Behind, Koneru Humpy Wins
In the Women’s event at Norway Chess 2026, the Indian contingent experienced a mixed bag of results in Round 8.
Divya Deshmukh, who was placed second in the tournament standings, faced a critical classical match against the tournament leader, Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva.
