Indian grandmaster Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu claimed the open title at Norway Chess 2026 after a dramatic comeback. Kazakh player Bibisara Assaubayeva secured the women's crown with a dominant performance. The tournaments concluded in Oslo on June 5.
Praggnanandhaa trailed in last place after round six but won his final four games to finish first. He defeated world number one Magnus Carlsen twice in classical games during the event. Assaubayeva won the women's section by a clear margin in her first appearance at the tournament. She benefited from strong play in time trouble, where her blitz experience proved decisive. The event featured a points system that awarded three points for a classical win. It ran from May 25 to June 5 with equal prize funds of 1,690,000 NOK for the open and women's sections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay publicly congratulated Praggnanandhaa on his victory, the first by an Indian player at the event.
