Praggnanandhaa Beating Magnus Carlsen 2nd Time Week Still Best

Magnus Carlsen jumped in his chair before leaning so far ahead towards the board that he could have whispered in the ears of his king. Trouble was brewing in the air for the crownless king of chess and his wooden king on the board. Magnus Carlsen jumped in his chair before leaning so far ahead towards the board that he could have whispered in the ears of his king. Trouble was brewing in the air for the crownless king of chess and his wooden king on the board. In a tense endgame, Carlsen had one move that could have ensured survival: king to e2. The clock had run down to 14 seconds when Carlsen made the 48th move — king to f4 — which lost him the game instead. Because once he had made the move, all his opponent, R Praggnanandhaa, had to do was march Carlsen’s king to its death in seven moves. For the first time since Viswanathan Anand at Linares 2007, a player — of any nationality — defeated Magnus Carlsen twice in the same classical tournament. Praggnanandhaa defeated the world no 1 from Norway for the second time in a week at the Norway Chess tournament being held at Oslo's Deichman Bjørvika. He had also defeated the world no 1 at the 2024 Norway Chess, before drawing their second game that year. A win over Carlsen, that too in classical chess, is a badge worn proudly in this sport. But if he was feeling celebratory on Tuesday, Praggnanadhaa did a good job of concealing his emotions. When asked if his wins over Carlsen across two Norway Chess editions and Gukesh’s infamous win from last year means that there is a change of guard in the sport, the 20-year-old brushed it aside as an “exaggeration”. Facing Carlsen on the board in classical chess, even though he plays little of the format these days, has always carried an intimidation factor. Carlsen, even when not at his best, had felt invincible not too long ago. Over the years, has the aura of Carlsen as an opponent eroded? World No 1 Magnus Carlsen reacts during his round 8 game at Norway Chess against India's P Praggnanandhaa. (Photo: Michal Walusza / Norway Chess) “I wouldn't say I felt intimidated (facing Carlsen). I always felt more excited playing him than being intimidated,” Pragg told Indian media in Oslo with a cultivated nonchalance in his voice. “So these games always bring out my best. I don't think that affected me. In all my games with him I was always playing at least decent quality chess.” A true measure of how significant a win over Carlsen in classical was came from Pragg’s coach grandmaster Vaibhav Suri. “Against Magnus, you can never have enough wins,” Suri told The Indian Express. “But this result shows that Magnus is great, but maybe he is not invincible.” It was Carlsen’s fourth classical loss at this year’s Norway Chess tournament, one that saw him drop to fifth spot in