Norway Chess: Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh earn Armageddon wins; Divya stuns world champion
Oslo, May 26
Norway Chess 2026 opened with high drama in Oslo as Indian stars R Praggnanandhaa and World Champion D Gukesh launched their campaigns with gritty Armageddon victories after hard-fought drawn classical games.
While Praggnanandhaa outclassed Wesley So in the tiebreaker with an aggressive attacking display, Gukesh staged a remarkable comeback against Vincent Keymer after surviving a difficult endgame in the classical encounter.
The biggest upset of the opening round, however, came when Alireza Firouzja stunned World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in classical chess, handing the Norwegian superstar a rare defeat on home soil to take the early lead in the tournament standings.
Praggnanandhaa and Wesley So played out a balanced classical game that ended in a draw after a tense battle. The Indian Grandmaster, however, raised the tempo in the Armageddon decider and produced a sharp attacking performance to secure the bonus points.
In another gripping contest, Gukesh faced Germany's Vincent Keymer in a strategic duel that nearly went against the Indian. Keymer outplayed the reigning world champion in the endgame and looked set for victory, but Gukesh showed tremendous defensive resilience to hold on for a draw. Carrying that momentum into Armageddon, Gukesh turned the tables and clinched the tiebreak win.
Firouzja's victory over Carlsen proved to be the defining result of the day. Carlsen appeared in control for large parts of the game, but severe time trouble led to a costly mistake that the French Grandmaster punished clinically to register the only classical win in the open section.
In the Women's tournament, reigning Women's World Champion Ju Wenjun and Divya Deshmukh also ended in a draw after a tense battle in which Ju Wenjun was pressing for a win. Divya delivered a strong performance in the Armageddon decider, winning the Armageddon tiebreak game.
In another matchup, Bibisara Assaubayeva produced the standout result by defeating Indian No. 1 Koneru Humpy in classical chess. The Kazakh player handled the middlegame complications confidently before converting her advantage with precision.
Anna Muzychuk and Zhu Jiner drew their classical encounter, after which Zhu emerged victorious in Armageddon to claim the additional points. Reigning Women's World Champion Ju Wenjun was also held to a draw by India's Divya Deshmukh, who later impressed with a confident Armageddon victory.
At the end of Round 1, Firouzja leads the open section after the only classical win of the day, while Assaubayeva sits atop the women's standings.
— IANS
Reader Comments
So proud of Divya Deshmukh! Beating the reigning Women's World Champion Ju Wenjun in Armageddon is no small feat. This girl has immense potential, and it's wonderful to see Indian women's chess rising. Koneru Humpy might have lost today, but she's a legend too. Great tournament so far!
The future of Indian chess is incredibly bright! Gukesh showing nerves of steel to come back from a losing position and then dominate Armageddon. And Pragg's attacking style against Wesley So was a treat to watch. Firouzja beating Carlsen is huge too - this tournament is going to be epic!
While I'm thrilled for our Indian players, I have to say Firouzja's victory over Carlsen is the real story here. Magnus losing on home soil in classical chess is rare. That shows the level of competition at Norway Chess. Gukesh and Pragg need to step up if they want to challenge for the title. Let's see how they perform in the coming rounds!
What a day for Indian chess! Gukesh proving why he's the World Champion - that defensive ability is world-class. Pragg's aggression in Armageddon was pure fire. And Divya? Girl, you're a star! 🌟 The Indian chess revolution is real, and it's here to stay. Proud moment for all of us! 🇮🇳
Fantastic results but let's not get carried away. It's just the first round. The tournament is long, and Firouzja is on fire.
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