Oslo, May 28 (PTI): R Praggnanandhaa proved he can go toe-to-toe with Magnus Carlsen, defeating the Norwegian world No. 1 in a gripping contest to claim three full points in round three of the Norway Chess here on Wednesday.
In contrast, reigning world champion D Gukesh continued to endure a difficult run, suffering another setback after losing to Alireza Firouzja in the Armageddon game following a hard-fought classical draw.
The victory was another major statement from Praggnanandhaa, who arrived in Oslo on the eve of the Norway Chess after a string of impressive performances at the Superbet Chess Classic Romania in Bucharest.
The win took the Indian to 4.5 points and lifted him to the sole second place in the standings at the Norway Chess. He now trails only Firouzja, who leads the tournament with 7.5 points.
Meanwhile, Gukesh remains on 3.5 points and continues to struggle for momentum, with his difficult run in the Norway Chess showing little sign of easing. The world champion is currently placed fourth in the six-player Open field.
Incidentally, Praggnanandhaa had also defeated Carlsen in the classical format for the first time during the 2024 edition of the Norway Chess, underlining his growing success against the world No. 1 on one of the biggest stages in chess.
Gukesh, speaking after his Armageddon defeat to Firouzja following nearly five hours of classical play that failed to produce a decisive result, admitted that his opponent was “completely winning throughout the game”.
For the Indian world champion, who is scheduled to defend his title later this year against challenger Javokhir Sindarov, the latest setback continues a series of underwhelming performances since capturing the world crown.
Praggnanandhaa described the victory over Carlsen as a “really big win” for him and admitted he was “lucky” to have come through against the world No. 1 in a tense contest. PTI AM RC
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