Norway Chess: Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh, Divya Deshmukh Register Wins The seventh round of the Norway Chess 2026 tournament in Oslo showcased a mix of brilliance and resilience from Indian players, with Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa, World No. 1 D. Gukesh, and women’s player Divya Deshmukh securing key victories. The event, held at Deichman Bjorvika, continued to highlight the competitive spirit of the participants as they navigated the complexities of classical and Armageddon games. Praggnanandhaa delivered a standout performance by defeating Alireza Firouzja in the classical format, marking his second consecutive win against the French grandmaster. The match, played with white pieces, saw Praggnanandhaa build a strong positional advantage, leveraging Firouzja’s time pressure to secure a decisive victory in 51 moves. This win extended Praggnanandhaa’s lead at the top of the leaderboard, keeping him at 12.5 points while Firouzja remained second at 10 points. The result underscored Praggnanandhaa’s consistency in high-stakes encounters, as he continued to challenge the tournament’s top contenders. Gukesh, the other Indian participant in the men’s section, demonstrated his tactical acumen by overcoming Wesley So in an Armageddon game. Despite missing an opportunity to win the classical match, Gukesh capitalized on the sudden-death format, securing the extra point and maintaining his position in the race for the top spot. His victory highlighted his ability to adapt under pressure, a trait that has defined his career as one of the most promising talents in chess. Meanwhile, World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and German grandmaster Vincent Keymer engaged in a hard-fought classical draw, with neither player able to break through the other’s defenses.#divya_deshmukh #gukesh #praggnanandhaa #norway_chess_2026 #deichman_bjorvika
