Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa won the Norway Chess tournament with 18 points, defeating World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen twice, marking a defining moment in his career.

R Praggnanandhaa now has an opportunity to put the Candidates disappointment behind him at Norway Chess, where he has emerged as a title contender.

R Praggnanandhaa capitalised on a rare blunder by Magnus Carlsen under time pressure, securing a key victory after 50 moves and boosting his title chances.

On the significance of beating the "virtually invincible" Carlsen for a third time overall and twice in the same event, the young Indian said it was never about intimidation.

The victory lifted R Praggnanandhaa to 12 points and third place, while simultaneously dealing what could prove to be a fatal blow to Magnus Carlsen's hopes of securing an eighth Norway Chess title.

World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen returned to winning ways with a crushing victory over reigning classical world champion D Gukesh, sending the young Indian to the bottom of the standings.

R Praggnanandhaa proved he can go toe-to-toe with Magnus Carlsen, defeating the Norwegian world No. 1 in a gripping contest to claim three full points in round three of the Norway Chess.

D Gukesh emerged victorious after a bruising, nerve-jangling marathon battle against Vincent Keymer, and R Praggnanandhaa outplayed Alireza Firouzja.

It was a pre-match interaction between Magnus Carlsen and Alua Nurman that gave rise to the drama which unfolded moments later.

Chess icon Magnus Carlsen has put to rest speculation over his participation in the upcoming Norway Chess tournament, with the 20-time world champion across formats confirming he will compete in the elite event, which is set to shift from its traditional base in Stavanger to Oslo.