After becoming the first Indian to win the Norway Chess title, R Praggnanandhaa revealed how his mother’s prediction before the second half of the tournament preceded his remarkable four-game winning streak and historic triumph.
Pragg recalls mother's prediction after Norway Chess title (Credit: X/Chess 24)
After winning India’s maiden Norway Chess title, R Praggnanandhaa revealed that a prediction made by his mother before the second half of the tournament turned out to be surprisingly accurate, as he pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in the event’s history.
Praggnanandhaa recalled:
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“She told me, ‘It’s a new month, you’ll play well.’ I said, ‘Okay, it’s one of those things that mom says.’ Then I win four games straight. I think mom knows something,” he said after lifting the title on Friday.
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The 20-year-old Grandmaster clinched the crown by defeating Germany’s Vincent Keymer in the final round, becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious tournament.
Also Read: Praggnanandhaa scripts history, outplays Vincent Keymer to seal maiden Norway Chess crown for India
The turnaround was remarkable, considering Praggnanandhaa had struggled for consistency during the first half of the six-player event. Although he had defeated World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in Round 3, he found himself at the bottom of the standings with six points after six rounds.
However, everything changed after a call from his mother, Nagalakshmi, before his seventh-round clash against Alireza Firouzja. That match sparked an extraordinary run as Praggnanandhaa went on to register four consecutive classical victories, including a second win over Carlsen, before sealing the title against Keymer.
Reflecting on the resurgence, Praggnanandhaa said:
“It all came my way and I also think I started to play more in control, which is always very good.”
“I decided that I would play a little faster than I was doing. In every game, I had a time advantage and was able to make decent quality moves.”
Even in the final game against Keymer, he admitted he did not allow himself to relax until the result was certain.
“A few moves before the end I knew I was going to win. But I also wanted to make sure. I just could not think of anything once I played Knight e6; I was just moving with my hand. Because when you get a winning position it is nearly impossible to make a mistake, but I was still very concerned. It was only after he resigned that I relaxed.”
The hard-earned victory completed an incredible transformation for the Chennai Grandmaster, who went from the bottom of the standings midway through the tournament to lifting the trophy.
“Whenever you win any tournament, you are happy. And to win this tournament when Magnus is playing is really special. And then to win this way, it’s more than special. I am just super happy,” he said.
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