"India Stands Tall": Union Minister As R Praggnanandhaa Knocks Out Magnus Carlsen In Las Vegas
Las Vegas, United States: On Thursday, India’s chess grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa once again claimed to have exhibited exceptional promise in the game by beating the world’s best Magnus Carlsen at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour at Las Vegas in the US. The Norwegian champion surrendered before the 19-year-old Indian genius in just 39 moves during their Round 4 clash in the group stage.
With the defeat, Carlsen has now been knocked out of title contention in Las Vegas. Carlsen had previously won the Grand Slam events in Paris and Karlsruhe and leads the overall tour standings.
A series of Chess960 tournaments organized by Freestyle Chess Operations, players at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam will score points based on placement in each event, and the player with the highest score at the end of the year will become the Freestyle Chess Champion.
Read Also: Chess World Cup 2023: R Praggnanandhaa defeats Caruana, Set Final Date with Magnus Carlsen
The Norwegian Grandmaster has now been defeated in all three formats – Classical, Rapid, and Blitz by Praggnanandhaa.
Sharing the report regarding the Indian chess prodigy, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Labor and Employment, Youth Affairs and Sports, congratulated Praggnanandhaa.
“At just 19, Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has once again shown his brilliance as he beat World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in a commanding 39-move win at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Las Vegas. “Congratulations Praggnanandhaa on your victory,” the minister wrote on X.
Yet another proud moment for Indian Chess!
At just 19, Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has once again shown his brilliance as he beats World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in a commanding 39-move win at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Las Vegas.
Congratulations Praggnanandhaa on your… pic.twitter.com/PqMwR3hzt0
— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) July 17, 2025
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi praised the grandmaster stating that it is a proud moment for India, and the country stands tall as the next generation leads the way on the global stage.
A proud moment for India! 🇮🇳
Congratulations to Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa on his phenomenal victory over World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Las Vegas.
At just 19, he has displayed nerves of steel and brilliance beyond his years.
India stands… pic.twitter.com/7PlxeWJzJB
— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) July 17, 2025
The sensational victory over world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen has been hailed as another golden feature in Praggnanandhaa’s story, as the 19-year-old now outplayed the five-time world champion in just 39 moves.
