Praggnanandhaa wins Norway chess open event

Norway Chess Group A open tournament on Friday scoring 7.5 points from 9 rounds. The 16-year-old, the top seed, was in great form right through the tournament. In the final round, Praggu got the better of IM V Praneeth.

"I think the qualities of my games in this tournament were high. In each game of mine, I was able to make the kind of moves I had planned. I am quite pleased with that," the 16-year-old told TOI.

Praggu, in recent times, has shown tremendous character to beat the best in the business. It is no surprise that the youngster is taking a lot of confidence from his second place finish at the Chessable Masters, an online event, last month. After a gritty battle, Praggu had lost to Ding in the summit clash.

"To be playing against top-rated players such as Magnus Carlsen, Liren and others automatically gives you confidence. I am just trying to trust my preparations and play with a lot more assurance," Praggu added. Praggu's performance at the Chessable Masters was even more commendable as he was playing the tournament alongside his class XI exams.