Indian chess grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa has become the first Indian to win the Norway Chess tournament [1].

The victory marks a significant shift in the competitive landscape of elite chess, as Praggnanandhaa overcame one of the greatest players in history on his home turf.

Competing in Oslo, Praggnanandhaa achieved a rare feat by defeating Magnus Carlsen twice during the event [2]. According to reports, he is the first player in 18 years to beat Carlsen twice at Norway Chess [3]. During Round 8 on June 3, he earned three points [4].

Praggnanandhaa said that playing against Carlsen does not intimidate him. "I don't feel intimidated; always feel more excited playing Carlsen," he said [5]. He said that playing Carlsen brings out his best and demonstrates his ability to recover from difficult situations [6].

Despite the wins, the Indian grandmaster remained deferential to the Norwegian star. "To me, he's the GOAT," Praggnanandhaa said, referring to Carlsen as the greatest of all time [7].

Coach Vaibhav Suri also commented on the high level of competition. Suri said the result shows that Magnus is great [8].

While some reports confirm the tournament win [1], other standings data indicated that following his victory, Praggnanandhaa sat third in the standings, two points behind leader Wesley So [9]. However, the primary achievement remains the historic nature of his wins over Carlsen and his status as the first Indian champion of the event [1].

“"I don't feel intimidated; always feel more excited playing Carlsen."”

Praggnanandhaa's performance in Oslo signals the rising dominance of Indian chess on the global stage. By defeating Carlsen twice—a feat not achieved in nearly two decades at this specific tournament—Praggnanandhaa proves that the psychological barrier against the world's top-rated players is eroding for the new generation of grandmasters.