New Delhi, June 3 (IANS) Industrialist Anand Mahindra showered praise on Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa after the Indian chess star delivered another statement victory over World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen at Norway Chess.

The victory marked yet another milestone in Praggnanandhaa’s rapidly growing rivalry with the Norwegian great. Having already defeated Carlsen earlier in the tournament with the white pieces, the Indian repeated the feat with black in Round 8, showcasing his versatility and composure against one of the game’s most dominant figures.

The result carried added significance as it made Praggnanandhaa only the second Indian player after Viswanathan Anand to beat Carlsen twice in the same tournament. It was also the third classical-format victory of his career against the five-time world champion.

Reacting to Praggnanandhaa’s latest triumph, Mahindra coined a playful tribute to the Chennai-born prodigy, suggesting that the teenager’s growing reputation for overcoming elite opposition was becoming impossible to ignore.

“The label ‘impraggnable’ is beginning to stick… And no sense of frustration shown by Magnus. I hope it means he is coming to expect such outcomes more frequently with @rpraggnachess,” the chairman of Mahindra Group posted on X.

The game remained balanced deep into the final phase before Carlsen came under heavy pressure in time trouble. Praggnanandhaa seized the decisive moment and converted, keeping himself firmly in the title race.

The crucial win propelled the Indian grandmaster to 12 points and brought him firmly into contention for the Norway Chess title heading into the final stages of the event.

Meanwhile, World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju and Divya Deshmukh suffered losses at the hands of Alireza Firouzja and Bibisara Assaubayeva, respectively.

After Round 8, Wesley So leads Norway Chess with 14 points. Alireza Firouzja follows with 13 points, while Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu is close behind with 12 points.

–IANS

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