R Praggnanandhaa Shines at Norway Chess, D Gukesh Faces Setback
R Praggnanandhaa's Impressive Performance
R Praggnanandhaa has been making waves at the Norway Chess tournament held in Oslo. Following his remarkable victory over Magnus Carlsen in Round 3, he managed to secure an important half-point in Round 4 against Vincent Keymer, propelling him to second place in the overall rankings. With Alireza Firouzja, the tournament leader, suffering his first loss, Praggnanandhaa has narrowed the gap significantly. After a 46-move stalemate in their Classical match, the Indian Grandmaster triumphed over Keymer in their Armageddon showdown while playing with the black pieces. This win elevates Praggnanandhaa's score to 6 points, placing him just behind the leader.
Magnus Carlsen's Redemption Against D Gukesh
Magnus Carlsen Avenges Loss Against D Gukesh
As Praggnanandhaa advanced, his fellow countryman and reigning world champion D Gukesh faced a challenging defeat. Playing with the white pieces, Gukesh lost to world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in 42 moves, marking his first Classical defeat in this tournament. Carlsen managed to recover from his earlier loss to Praggnanandhaa in Round 3.
The much-anticipated match commenced with a Queen's Gambit Opening. During the middlegame, the evaluation shifted in Carlsen's favor, but he only gained a significant advantage when Gukesh encountered severe time pressure. With less than a minute left on his clock compared to Carlsen's eight, Gukesh ultimately resigned under pressure. This victory was crucial for Carlsen, who sought redemption after his earlier defeat to the young Indian Grandmaster in 2025, which had led to a memorable outburst of frustration from Carlsen. As he aims for a record-extending eighth Norway Chess title, this win was essential for Carlsen after a rocky start to his title defense, which included losses to both Praggnanandhaa and Alireza Firouzja. Meanwhile, Gukesh, who had previously endured exhausting draws against Keymer and Wesley So, now finds himself at the bottom of the standings with 3.5 points, just ahead of his 20th birthday.
Challenges for Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh
Losses For Koneru Humpy And Divya Deshmukh
In the women's section, all three Classical games ended in draws for the third consecutive round. Indian Grandmasters Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh both faced defeats in their respective Armageddon matches against Zhu Jiner and Anna Muzychuk. Currently, Divya shares the second position with Muzychuk and Jiner, each holding 5.5 points, while Humpy finds herself at the bottom of the table with just 3 points.