There’s nothing special that R. Praggnanandhaa is doing to prepare for games against Magnus Carlsen but ‘whatever is being done is working,’ said his coach Vaibhav Suri.

With the Indian GM having done the double against the World No.1 in Norway Chess 2026, Suri said, “I don’t think so (on any special preparation). If we are, I will make sure we do continue it. (We) are trying to stay as motivated as we can and trying to keep working as hard as we can.”

Like Praggnanandhaa, he too said Carlsen is “still extremely strong.

Maybe he’s just not as motivated as he was a few years ago, but is still a monstrous player.”

Further, Suri, a Grandmaster himself, told The Hindu, that everyone has immense respect for Carlsen.

Key takeaway

“I think the key takeaway at least for us is he’s great, but maybe he’s not invincible... he’s beatable.”

Praising Praggnanandhaa, he said, “to beat him twice in a classical game is not at all a small feat.”

Asked if the 20-year-old from Chennai had put the below-par performance in the recent Candidates tournament behind him, Suri said, “his level of play was not bad (in Cyprus).”

Quick to move on

“The result obviously wasn’t encouraging. I think as with most things, you accept and you move on, which I think he did fairly quickly,” added Suri.

(The writer is in Oslo at the invitation of Norway Chess).