R Praggnanandhaa scripted history by becoming the first Indian ever to win the prestigious Norway Chess title. The 20-year-old Grandmaster completed a remarkable comeback in the final round, defeating Germany's Vincent Keymer to secure the championship and etch his name into the tournament's history books.
Heading into the final round, Praggnanandhaa trailed American Grandmaster Wesley So in the standings. So led the tournament with 15.5 points, while the Indian star sat second with 15 points. To lift the trophy, Praggnanandhaa needed to beat Keymer and hope So dropped points against France's Alireza Firouzja. The results went perfectly in his favor.
How Much Prize Money Did Praggnanandhaa Win?
For winning Norway Chess 2026, Praggnanandhaa will receive 700,000 Norwegian Kroner (NOK), which converts to approximately Rs 70.5 lakh. The tournament featured a total prize pool of 1.69 million NOK, distributed among the six participants based on their final standings.
Norway Chess 2026 Prize Money Breakdown
- 1st Place: 700,000 NOK
- 2nd Place: 350,000 NOK
- 3rd Place: 200,000 NOK
- 4th Place: 170,000 NOK
- 5th Place: 150,000 NOK
- 6th Place: 120,000 NOK
According to tournament regulations, prize money is shared among players finishing on the same score. However, this rule does not apply to first place. In the event of a tie for the championship, a playoff or double round-robin tiebreak would be used to determine the winner.
How Praggnanandhaa Sealed the Title
The title-clinching victory came in a dynamic Queen's Gambit Declined against Vincent Keymer. Praggnanandhaa gradually took control of the game before launching a decisive kingside attack. Key moments included the aggressive 33.f5 and the powerful 38.Ne6+, which exposed Black's king and paved the way for a winning rook ending. The victory earned the Indian Grandmaster three crucial points and kept his title hopes alive.
Meanwhile, Wesley So and Alireza Firouzja played out a classical draw in their final-round encounter. That result proved enough to hand Praggnanandhaa the championship without requiring an Armageddon tiebreak.
