On Wednesday, India’s teenage chess sensation, R Praggnanandhaa, defeated world number one Magnus Carlsen in the Norway Chess Tournament. This victory pushed Carlsen to sixth place in the points ranking. Praggnanandhaa has previously beaten Carlsen in rapid and exhibition games.
Notably, this is Carlsen’s home tournament. Praggnanandhaa told the Indian Express that he was unaffected by Carlsen’s “provocative opening.”
Praggnanandhaa received applause on social media following his win. Many people asked about the match’s re-telecast. One of the X users said, “Not an unexpected game by Pragg.” Another person emphasised Praggnanandhaa’s confidence, writing, “Pragg felt confident and knew his time had arrived to beat the world’s number one Magnus in traditional chess. “Well done.”
Praggnanandhaa used white pieces and won, moving Carlsen up to fifth place in the points table. One person said, “India’s future in chess is bright. I can’t wait to see two Indians compete for the global title—Pragg, Nihal, Gukesh, Arjun, and others. “The future is bright. Another person expressed excitement over Praggnanandhaa facing Ding Liren in the World Championship. A user also commented, “Not to forget his sister Vaishali leading in the women’s segment.”
