Wow,just wow . Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu has done it again,defeating World Champion Magnus Carlsen for second time in same tournament. This is just incredible stuff.
This all happened in Round 8 of Norway Chess 2026,and it’s huge statement from young Praggnanandhaa . Beating Carlsen once is dream for many,but twice in one event is another level only.
And at just 20 years old,he is now in very elite company . Only other Indian to beat Carlsen multiple times in single tournament was the legend Viswanathan Anand himself. That's a big thing ah.
Honestly,this victory is not just about points . It’s a massive psychological edge for Praggnanandhaa going into final matches of tournament.
But it was a mixed day for Indian players overall . Alireza Firouzja managed to defeat Gukesh Dommaraju,which is a setback for Gukesh's own title hopes . competition is getting so intense.
Few things standing out from this round:
- Praggnanandhaa's historic win — Second victory over Carlsen in tournament,a rare achievement.
- Gukesh's setback — Lost to Firouzja,impacting his title chase .
- Competitive standings — Praggnanandhaa now in contention with 12 points.
The race for the top spot is heating up badly . Wesley So is still in the lead after his draw against Vincent Keymer and then winning extra points in an Armageddon match . Praggnanandhaa is now just two points behind him .
And in the Women’s section also,things are very exciting . Bibisara Assaubayeva extended her lead by beating Divya Deshmukh . And Zhu Jiner pulled off a big upset by defeating Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun .
Assaubayeva is now leading that section with 15.5 points,looking very strong as tournament heads towards its end .
So with just few rounds left,the pressure is on everyone . Praggnanandhaa has all momentum rn,but closing that two-point gap against player like Wesley So will be tough… who knows what will happen next…
