Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Norway Chess has revealed another big name for its 2026 edition. After announcing Magnus Carlsen and R Praggnanandhaa earlier, the organisers have now confirmed Germany’s top chess player Vincent Keymer as the latest participant.Vincent Keymer will make his debut at Norway Chess in 2026. Over the past year, his career has moved at great speed. In January 2025, he was ranked World No. 20, but by January 2026, he climbed to World No. 4.
He also added more than 40 rating points during this period. Keymer was runner-up at the 2022 FIDE World Rapid Championship and has become a regular performer against the best players in the world.“I am looking forward to participating in my first Norway Chess event and getting the opportunity to fight for tournament victory among this elite field,” said Keymer.The last 12 months have been a breakthrough phase for the German grandmaster. He has delivered strong results against top opponents and shown growing confidence at the highest level.
Vincent Keymer at Chennai Grand Masters 2025 (Agency Photo)
Now ranked among the world’s best, he will arrive in Oslo as part of the new generation shaping modern chess.“As Germany’s number one and a first-time participant at Norway Chess, Vincent brings fresh energy and added competitiveness to an already strong field. It’s great to welcome a German player to the tournament, and we hope chess fans in Germany will follow his participation in Oslo,” added Benedicte Westre Skog, COO of Norway Chess.Earlier, Indian star R Praggnanandhaa confirmed his return to Norway Chess for the third time. He recently qualified for the 2026 Candidates Tournament after winning the 2025 FIDE Circuit.“Looking forward to be back in Norway Chess, I enjoyed playing in 2024. Most exciting format I have played!” Praggnanandhaa said.He defeated Magnus Carlsen in a classical game in 2024 and was part of India’s gold medal-winning Chess Olympiad team. Praggnanandhaa has reached a career-high world ranking of four with a peak rating of 2785. Magnus Carlsen was announced earlier as the first confirmed participant, and fans now await the remaining names, including D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi.
