Round six of Norway Chess saw decisive results as Magnus Carlsen defeated Alireza Firouzja, Wesley So beat Praggnanandhaa, and Vincent Keymer overcame World Champion Gukesh.
Gukesh, Divya suffer losses as Norway Chess title race intensifies/ Credit: Norway Chess
Round six of Norway Chess turned into a day of decisive results, with all three classical games producing clear winners as the battle for the top spots intensified in Oslo.
World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen strengthened his title push with a key win over tournament leader Alireza Firouzja. Playing with the white pieces, Carlsen gradually outplayed his opponent in a complex strategic battle before converting his advantage in the endgame, handing Firouzja his first classical defeat of the event.
Advertisement
In another major clash, Wesley So defeated India’s Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa after a hard-fought encounter. So maintained control in key moments and capitalised in the endgame to secure full points and strengthen his position near the top of the standings.
Advertisement
The biggest upset of the day came when Vincent Keymer overcame reigning World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh. Keymer held the initiative for much of the game and converted his advantage with precision to register a statement victory.
Following round six, Wesley So leads Norway Chess, with Alireza Firouzja remaining close behind as the battle for first place remains wide open.
Norway Chess Women delivered another tense round in Oslo, featuring one decisive classical result and two Armageddon deciders.
Reigning Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun scored the only classical victory of the day, defeating Divya Deshmukh in a long struggle. Ju gradually improved her position and converted her advantage in the endgame to secure an important win.
Bibisara Assaubayeva and Humpy Koneru ended their classical game in a draw after a closely contested battle. Assaubayeva later prevailed in the Armageddon game, earning the valuable extra points and reclaiming sole possession of first place.
Anna Muzychuk and Zhu Jiner also ended in a draw after a balanced encounter. Zhu Jiner went on to win the Armageddon game, securing the additional points.
Following round six, Bibisara Assaubayeva takes back the lead at Norway Chess Women with 9.5 points. Divya Deshmukh follows with 8.5 points, while Ju Wenjun and Anna Muzychuk share third place with 8 points.
(With agency inputs)
Advertisement
