Norway Chess: R Praggnanandhaa, Divya Deshmukh back to winning ways

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the 2026 Norway Chess, which is presently successful its 14th edition, if idiosyncratic had told you that halfway down the line, reigning World Chess Champion D Gukesh and World No.

1 Magnus Carlsen would beryllium the past and second-to-last names connected the points table, determination would person been countless questions implicit that person's sanity. And rightly so. Who would person ever thought that arsenic the play astatine the Deichman Bjørvika Library successful Oslo reached its climax and began its voyage towards the end, with conscionable 3 rounds remaining, we would spot 2 of the astir talked-about players successful the circuit inactive wholly retired of contention for the crown?Monday was Round 7, wherever the Indians managed to amass beauteous commendable results aft enduring a tumultuous time astatine the bureau successful the erstwhile round, wherever each of them suffered losses.

The astir authoritative show came from Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa.

Playing with the White pieces against Firouzja, the Chennai-born wonderkid displayed the mettle needed to marque a turnaround pursuing his classical decision to Germany's Vincent Keymer connected Sunday.

Praggnanandhaa handled the Giuoco Pianissimo patiently, improving his portion placement earlier striking connected the queenside. After simplifying into a dynamic middlegame, helium won cardinal queenside pawns and exploited Black’s escaped coordination.

The captious signifier came aft 35.Ra1, erstwhile tactical complications favoured White. Praggnanandhaa’s progressive queen, centralised pieces, and beardown knight connected f4 generated changeless threats.By 49.Kh3, Black’s presumption wholly collapsed, handing Firouzja—once the tourney person successful the unfastened section—his 2nd consecutive classical decision successful the tournament.

Divya Deshmukh beats Koneru Humpy doubly successful Armageddon successful consecutive weeks

The all-Indian clash, which was a reverse fixture of Round 2 successful Norway Chess Women this year, headed to an Armageddon tie-break aft the classical clash betwixt Divya Deshmukh and seasoned Koneru Humpy failed to nutrient a victor successful the longer format of the game.As is the customized for Armageddon tie-breaks, Black has to halt White from winning portion getting much clip connected the timepiece (ten minutes to White's seven, successful this case). Divya Deshmukh had the Black pieces.

As she accepted the Benko Gambit and gradually seized the inaugural done progressive portion play, Humpy obtained immoderate attacking chances, but Black’s pieces became progressively coordinated.

The queen commercialized connected determination 25 worked wonders for the 20-year-old from Nagpur, arsenic Divya converted the presumption into a favourable tactical endgame.

Precise moves specified arsenic 27...Rd1+ and 28...Ne1+ exposed White’s king, and 31...Nxc1 won her the game.With this triumph successful the tie-break, Divya stayed second, presently trailing women's conception person Bibisara Assaubayeva by 2.5 points.

Elsewhere: Magnus Carlsen, Gukesh some triumph their armageddon tie-breaks

Magnus Carlsen has had a unspeakable tourney truthful acold by his standards. However, the section hero, who is besides the five-time satellite champion, managed to outsmart Keymer successful the Armageddon tie-break. The concern turned retired to beryllium somewhat akin for 20-year-old Gukesh, arsenic helium drew his classical crippled earlier beating Wesley So successful the Armageddon.

In the women's section, Bibisara offered different show of the good signifier she is successful with a classical triumph implicit China's Zhu Jiner. Meanwhile, Women's World Champion Ju Wenjun mislaid to the reigning Norway Chess Women champion Anna Muzychuk.