The youngster beat Carlsen on Monday night at the Airthings Masters rapid chess tournament.

"It's about time to go to bed, I don't think I can have dinner at 2:30 in the morning," said Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa laconically, after his victory in 39 moves, playing black.

Other players have beaten Magnus Carlsen in the past, including India's Viswanathan Anand and Pentala Harikrishna, but Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa is the youngest since the Norwegian won the world championship in 2013.

The teenager, born in Chennai (former Madras) in the state of Tamil Nadu (south), became the youngest international master in history at the age of 10, in 2016.

Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand, considered India's greatest chess player or Indian cricketing superstar Sachin Tendulkar joined the chorus of praise for young Praggnanandhaa, widely seen as a future challenger for the world title.

"He's only 16 and he beat so experienced and award-winning Magnus Carlsen, and what's more playing black, it's magic," Sachin Tendulkar wrote on Twitter, wishing him a "long and fruitful career in chess".

The world number one in chess, the Norwegian Magnus Carlsen (C), during a tournament in Wijk an See, at the Olaf Kraak ANP/AFP/Archives

"You make India proud!"

he added.

On Monday, Magnus Carlsen, 31, said he was feeling the effects of the recently contracted Covid-19: "It was better today, the first two days I felt pretty good, but I lacked energy and was struggling. to concentrate."

The Norwegian player won his fifth consecutive world chess title in December, defeating Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi, who lost his temper after an epic eight-hour game, the longest ever played in a World Championship.

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa's performances in this tournament had so far been disappointing.

"His results over the past six months have oscillated between the extremes," the teenager's coach, RB Ramesh, was quoted as saying by ESPN television channel.

"This victory against Magnus is important. Beating one of the strongest players in chess history is a huge moment for him".

© 2022 AFP