FILE PHOTO: With the clock ticking away and amid a scramble in the final seconds, Praggnanandhaa found the right moves to steal Carlsen’s thunder. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Indian GM R. Praggnanandhaa pulled off an upset win over World No. 1 and home favourite Magnus Carlsen in the third round of the Norway Chess at Deichman Bjorvika in Oslo late on Wednesday, while Alireza Firouzja secured a third straight victory to remain on top of the standings.

The 20-year-old from Chennai took down the Norwegian in a game of fluctuating fortunes, securing only his second victory over him in the classical format.

With the clock ticking away and amid a scramble in the final seconds, Praggnanandhaa found the right moves to steal Carlsen’s thunder.

The Indian player had incidentally beaten Carlsen in a classical match for the first time in the same tournament in 2024.

The result took Praggnanandhaa (4.5 points) to second place, behind French GM Firouzja (7.5 points), who got the better of world champion D. Gukesh in the Armageddon.

In Thursday’s fourth round, Gukesh runs into an off-colour Carlsen while Praggnanandhaa takes on Germany’s Vincent Keymer.

In the women’s event, Divya Deshmukh continued her dream run, posting a third consecutive win, beating Bibisara Assaubayeva of Kazakhstan in the Armageddon after the classical game ended in a draw.

Meanwhile, the top Indian woman player Koneru Humpy suffered a third straight loss, going down to Anna Muzychuk (Ukraine) in the Armageddon.

Assaubayeva is ahead of the field with 5.5 points, one ahead of Divya.

(The writer is in Oslo at the invitation of Norway Chess)

Published on May 28, 2026