Bibisara Assaubayeva secures Norway Chess Women crown early in Oslo
Oslo, June 5
Bibisara Assaubayeva has secured the Norway Chess Women 2026 title with one round to spare after a key result in Oslo.
She drew her classical game against Anna Muzychuk, who went on to win the Armageddon decider with the black pieces to claim the extra points.
However, the outcome was not enough to threaten Assaubayeva's position, with her lead at the top proving mathematically unassailable.
While, Wesley So's classical game against world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen ended in a balanced draw. So then prevailed in the Armageddon decider to claim the bonus points, strengthening his position at the top ahead of the final round.
Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu produced the standout classical win of the day, defeating World Champion D Gukesh with the black pieces. In a complex battle, Praggnanandhaa seized control after Gukesh came under pressure in the middlegame and converted the advantage with confidence.
The victory earned him three points, taking his tally to 15 and moving him to within half a point of tournament leader Wesley So.
Alireza Firouzja also remained firmly in contention after surviving a tough classical encounter against Vincent Keymer. Keymer pressed hard for long stretches, but Firouzja defended resourcefully before clinching the Armageddon decider to add crucial points and keep his title hopes alive.
After Round 9, Wesley So leads Norway Chess with 15.5 points, followed closely by Praggnanandhaa on 15 and Firouzja on 14.5.
In the Women's Norway Chess, Zhu Jiner produced the only decisive classical victory in the Women's event, defeating India's Divya Deshmukh with the black pieces.
Zhu kept the pressure and converted after Divya fell into time trouble, earning 3 valuable points and moving into second place. The game between India's Humpy Koneru and reigning Women's World Champion Ju Wenjun also ended in a classical draw.
Ju Wenjun then won the Armageddon game with the black pieces, collecting the additional points.
After Round 9, Bibisara Assaubayeva leads the Norway Chess Women's with 16.5 points and has secured first place. Zhu Jiner follows with 13 points, while Anna Muzychuk is third with 12 points.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great to see Praggnanandhaa closing in on Wesley So. But I feel a bit sad for Divya Deshmukh - time trouble really hurt her today. She's a talented player, hope she learns from this and comes back stronger. As for Bibisara Assaubayeva, well deserved champion!
Honest question - why is Humpy Koneru struggling a bit this tournament? She's such an experienced player but seems to be drawing too many games. Meanwhile, Assaubayeva has been brilliant throughout. 🏆
Impressive consistency from Wesley So - still leading after 9 rounds. But Pragg is showing why he's one of the most exciting young talents. The final round is going to be absolutely thrilling! Three players within 1.5 points of each other.
Bibisara Assaubayeva securing the title with one round to spare is amazing. She's been so dominant this tournament. But I really wanted to see Humpy or Divya do better for India. Our women's chess is still catching up internationally. 🤔
Pragg vs Gukesh was the highlight - that game had everything! Complex middlegame, pressure on Gukesh, and a confident conversion by Pragg. These two are going to dominate Indian chess for the next decade. What a time to be a chess fan! 🎉
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