The 14th edition of Norway Chess in Oslo witnessed another remarkable result as Indian Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa defeated World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen for the second consecutive time in classical chess within two weeks. The victory, coming in Round 8 on Tuesday, has become almost routine, diminishing the shock that once accompanied a Carlsen loss.
Praggnanandhaa's Strategic Brilliance
Playing with the black pieces, Praggnanandhaa employed a sharp French Defence, accepting early structural damage to gain active piece play and central control. Carlsen's kingside safety became a recurring issue after 14.Kf1. Black gradually coordinated his rooks, bishops, and queen to seize the initiative, winning key exchanges and maintaining relentless pressure. Despite Carlsen's long resistance, Pragg converted his activity into a dominant endgame attack, forcing Carlsen to blunder with 48.Kf4. The game lasted 50 moves, keeping the Indian GM firmly in contention for the Norway Chess crown.
Reflecting on the win, the 20-year-old Praggnanandhaa said, "It's more important for the tournament that I get this win than thinking that it's Magnus. Of course, it's great to do it against Magnus, but I think winning any game at this stage of the tournament is good." He currently stands second with 12 points, while Carlsen languishes second-to-last with nine points after his fourth classical loss in the tournament.
Gukesh and Divya Deshmukh Face Classical Defeats
Reigning world champion Gukesh, like Carlsen, has struggled at Norway Chess. In Round 8, he lost to Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja in a 61-move game. Playing black in the Ragozin Defence, Gukesh's ambitious kingside expansion (8...g5, 10...h5) created imbalances but left long-term weaknesses. "I came up with this new 7...Bf5, but I think he reacted in the best way possible, and I just forgot my prep, and I'm pretty sure I mixed up something," Gukesh admitted. Alireza exploited tactical opportunities, winning a pawn with 12.Qxb7, and converted his advantage into a well-controlled victory. With this win, Alireza stays second with 13 points, trailing only tournament leader Wesley So (14 points). Gukesh remains last with eight points.
In the women's section, Divya Deshmukh suffered a similar fate against tournament leader Bibisara Assaubayeva. Playing a Closed Sicilian, Divya built early queenside pressure and won material, earning an advantageous middlegame. However, Bibisara remained highly active, turning the game with central breaks 35...e4 and 39...e3, which opened lines against White's king. Bibisara's energetic coordination of queen, rook, and bishop led to a decisive kingside assault, earning a remarkable classical victory. Bibisara now leads with 15.5 points, while Divya dropped to third with 10 points.
Elsewhere: Koneru Humpy Picks Up Armageddon Win, Wesley So Keeps His Lead Intact
Koneru Humpy, who has struggled in the tournament, drew her classical game against Anna Muzychuk before clinching victory in the Armageddon tie-break. Meanwhile, China's Zhu Jiner completed a decisive classical victory over compatriot and Women's World Champion Ju Wenjun. In the open section, the day's only Armageddon came in the matchup between Wesley So and Vincent Keymer, with So securing the win to stay one point clear at the top of the table.
