Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa Wins Against World No 1 Magnus Carlsen

File image: R Praggnanandhaa

(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa pulled off a big win when he stunned the World Number 1 Magnus Carlsen in the eighth round of the Airthings Masters, an online rapid chess tournament.

Praggnanandhaa was playing with black pieces and won in 39 moves in a Tarrasch variation game on Monday.

Only two other Indians, Viswanathan Anand and P Harikrishna, have won against Carlsen in tournament play.

The young Indian GM is in 12^th spot after 8 rounds with 8 points and his win against Carlsen comes on the back off a solitary victory over Lev Aronian, two draws and four defeats.

The 16-year-old Praggnanandhaa drew against Anish Giri and Quang Liem Le and lost to Eric Hansen, Ding Liren, Jan-Kryzstof Duda and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov.

Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi, who lost the world championship match a few months ago to the Norwegian world no 1 Carlsen, is on top of the standings with 19 points followed by Ding Liren and Hansen, both of whom are on 15 points.

At the Airthings Masters tournament, a player gets three points for a win and one for a draw in the preliminary rounds. Seven more rounds remain in the preliminary phase.

(With PTI Inputs)