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
Candidates Chess: Fabiano Caruana Steady Yet Unconvincing Fabiano Caruana’s performance in the Candidates tournament has been marked by consistency but lacking the decisive clarity needed to secure a title. Despite a computer evaluation suggesting a decisive advantage of +7 at one point, the Italian grandmaster ultimately split a point with Gukesh, allowing the latter to advance to the title clash. Caruana’s resilience in the face of high-level competition remains evident, yet his recent struggles with decision-making have raised questions about his ability to capitalize on opportunities. Caruana’s history in the Candidates stage is notable. In 2018, he defeated Alexander Grischuk in the final round to earn the right to challenge Magnus Carlsen, a feat that underscored his tactical acumen and preparation. He is also one of only four players to have surpassed an Elo rating of 2825, a testament to his peak performance. However, his achievements have been tempered by the passage of time, as his current form appears to lag behind his historical standards. The tournament’s structure has highlighted Caruana’s strengths and weaknesses. While his positional understanding and ability to calculate complex positions remain sharp, his decision-making has occasionally faltered, leading to missed opportunities. This trend has been evident in his recent Candidates appearances, where he has consistently finished in the top five but rarely claimed outright victories. For instance, in the 2023 event, he placed fifth, and his head-to-head record against his seven rivals in the Candidates cycle stands at exactly +4, reflecting a balanced but unremarkable performance. Caruana’s journey through the Candidates tournaments since his debut in 2016 has been defined by consistency.#candidates_tournament #fabiano_caruana #gukesh #magnus_carlsen #alexander_grischuk
