Norway Chess 2024: ‘Mind-blowing’, Gautam Adani lauds Pragananadhaa for defeating Magnus Carlsen

Billionaire Gautam Adani praised Indian teenage chess sensation R Pragananadhaa for achieving a remarkable victory on Saturday night after defeating world number two player Fabiano Caruana in the ongoing Norway Chess competition.

“Incredible Praggnanandhaa! Beating both World No.1 Magnus Carlsen and No.2 Fabiano Caruana in classical chess at #NorwayChess is mindblowing. You’re on a roll and still just 18! Keep the tricolour flying high. All the very best,” Adani wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Praggnanandhaa has also beaten Carlsen in previous matches' rapid/exhibition games. His heroics at the ongoing competition have also brought him into the top ten of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) World Rankings. It's important to note that this tournament is being held in Carlsen's home country.

A day after achieving his first classical win against five-time World Champion Magnus Carlsen, India's star prodigy Praggnanandhaa R lost to America's Hikaru Nakamura in Round 4 of the Norway Chess 2024 at SpareBank 1 SR-Bank on Thursday.

Nakamura displayed masterful preparation against Praggnanandhaa, who sacrificed a knight desperately to save the game. Nakamura played flawlessly and secured a convincing victory to climb to the top of the overall standings.

Local hero Magnus Carlsen earned three points in the Norway Chess main event, narrowly defeating Fabiano Caruana. Caruana had a prime chance to reduce the rating gap with Carlsen to just four points.

However, the game started calmly and took a dramatic twist in the endgame. Carlsen capitalized on a slight advantage, winning when Caruana made a critical blunder with only seconds remaining on his clock.

Norway Chess 2024 began with great excitement. The world's top chess players were assembled for a super-tournament at SpareBank 1 SR-Bank, which ran from May 27 to June 7. 

This year, the event includes the prestigious Norway Chess tournament and the debut of Norway Chess Women, featuring top female players from around the globe. According to a press release from Norway Chess, both tournaments utilize a 6-player double round-robin format with equal prize money, highlighting a commitment to gender equality in chess.