Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa did it again. He beat the World No.1 Magnus Carlsen for a second time in the same tournament, outwitting him in the eighth round of Norway Chess, in the classical game, to close in on the leader Wesley So.

The stunning victory with black pieces on Tuesday (June 2, 2026) at Deichman Bjorvika gave Praggnanandhaa three points and took him to third spot with 12 points, two behind So. Frenchman Alireza Firouza occupied the second place with 13 points, after he handed World champion D. Gukesh his third defeat of the tournament.

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So pulled away from the field by outsmarting Vincent Keymer in the Armageddon after the classical match ended in a stalemate.

“It’s more important for the tournament that I get this win than thinking that it’s Magnus. Of course, it’s great to do it against Magnus, but I think winning any game at this stage of the tournament is good,” a delighted Praggnanandhaa said after making it two out of two (in classical games) in the tournament, which Carlsen has dominated like no other winning it seven times.

The 20-year-old Indian GM had beaten the Norwegian ace in the third round, before doing the double on Monday (June 1).

With this win, Praggnanandhaa became one of the very few players to have beaten the 35-year-old Carlsen thrice in classical chess.

Carlsen had started the tournament with a loss to Firouzja before sinking to defeat against Pragg and So subsequently.

In the women’s event, Kazakh GM Bibisara Assaubayeva inched closer to winning the title, pipping Indian GM Divya Deshmukh in a game which she was fighting to survive. She has opened up a five-point lead over Ukraine’s Anna Muzychuk, who fell in the Armageddon to Koneru Humpy.

GM Zhu Jiner got the better of Chinese compatriot and World champion Ju Wenjun in the classical game to keep alive her slim hopes of claiming the top prize.

The matches will resume on Thursday after Wednesday’s rest day.

The results

Eighth round: Open: Alireza Firouzja (Fra, 13) bt D. Gukesh (8), Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 9) lost to R. Praggnanandhaa (12), Wesley So (USA, 14) bt Vincent Keymer (Ger, 10).

Women: Zhu Jiner (Chn, 10) bt Ju Wenjun (Chn, 9), Divya Deshmukh (10) lost to Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kaz, 15.5), Anna Muzychuk (Ukr, 10.5) lost to Koneru Humpy (8) in Armageddon.

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