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Viswanathan Anand praised R Praggnanandhaa’s Norway Chess triumph, calling his comeback and fighting style impressive. He urged world champion D gukesh, who struggled in the event, to take inspiration from Praggnanandhaa’s persistence and hard work. Anand also highlighted the healthy rivalry among India’s top young stars and said India is now firmly among the world’s leading chess nations.

World Champion D gukesh faces a crucial final-round clash against Magnus Carlsen at Norway Chess 2026. Currently last with eight points, gukesh must defeat Carlsen in their classical game to move ahead of the Norwegian and avoid finishing at the bottom. Meanwhile, Wesley So, Praggnanandhaa, and Alireza Firouzja remain locked in a thrilling three-way battle for the tournament title.

D gukesh's coach, Grzegorz Gajewski, acknowledges the young champion's aggressive style, stating it's integral to his identity and led to his world title. Despite recent criticisms, Gajewski believes gukesh can return to the top, emphasizing that his current weaknesses were present even during his championship win, fueled by immense confidence.

R Praggnanandhaa boosted his Norway Chess title hopes with a third straight classical victory, defeating world champion D gukesh in their Round 9 rematch. After weathering gukesh’s early aggression in the Nimzo-Indian Sämisch, Pragg defended accurately. The win avenged his earlier loss to gukesh and moved him within half a point of leader Wesley So heading into the final round.

Magnus Carlsen’s birthday message to D gukesh went viral during Norway Chess 2026. “You're not a teenager anymore, time to grow up,” Carlsen joked as gukesh turned 20. Several chess stars, including Ju Wenjun and Koneru Humpy, also wished him. Later, Carlsen defeated gukesh in a closely fought classical game, improving his position in the tournament standings.

At Norway Chess Round 5, D gukesh bounced back from his loss to Magnus Carlsen by defeating R Praggnanandhaa in a tense classical game, climbing to third place. In the women's event, Divya Deshmukh scored her first classical win, beating Zhu Jiner to become sole leader. Meanwhile, Carlsen suffered a third classical defeat, losing to Wesley So.

D gukesh enjoyed a funny birthday moment during Norway Chess 2026 celebrations as players sang for his 20th birthday before a sailing event in Oslo. Laughter erupted after Wesley So jokingly asked Javokhir Sindarov, gukesh’s future World Championship challenger, to sing a song. Earlier, Magnus Carlsen defeated gukesh in Round 4, while Bibisara Assaubayeva continued leading the women’s standings.

At Norway Chess Round 8, R Praggnanandhaa defeated Magnus Carlsen for the second time in two weeks, outplaying the World No. 1 in a sharp French Defence to stay in title contention. Meanwhile, gukesh suffered another classical setback against Alireza Firouzja after a preparation mix-up in the Ragozin Defence. In the women’s event, Divya Deshmukh lost to women's leader Bibisara Assaubayeva.

Round 6 of Norway Chess brought a dramatic reversal for India as D gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, and Divya Deshmukh all suffered costly classical defeats in the reverse fixtures. Vincent Keymer outplayed gukesh, Wesley So overcame Praggnanandhaa in a superior endgame, and Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun defeated Divya. Magnus Carlsen returned to winning ways against Alireza Firouzja, while Koneru Humpy lost her Armageddon tie-break, capping a difficult day for India.

D gukesh went viral during Norway Chess after hilariously failing to open a water bottle mid-game against Wesley So and quietly putting it back. The funny moment came during a frustrating day for gukesh, who dominated the classical game but lost in Armageddon. Meanwhile, Alireza Firouzja continued his unbeaten run at the tournament.

Javokhir Sindarov, the 20-year-old challenger for the World Championship, recently unveiled his competitive itinerary, featuring his debut at the US World Cup and participation in an upcoming event in Hong Kong. With an admirable sense of humility, he praised his compatriot Nodirbek Abdusattorov, candidly admitting he might not even be the best in Uzbekistan.

Magnus Carlsen's father, Henrik, expressed concern over the immense pressure faced by young chess prodigies like D gukesh after winning world titles. He highlighted the unique challenges of handling global expectations at such an early age, contrasting gukesh's Indian background with Magnus's Norwegian upbringing. Henrik also reflected on his own journey as a parent of a chess icon.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay honoured chess prodigy R. Praggnanandhaa with Rs 50 lakh and a memento after his historic Norway Chess triumph. The 20-year-old became the first Indian to win the title, defeating Magnus Carlsen twice and D. gukesh. After starting poorly, he staged a remarkable comeback, winning four straight games to secure the championship.

World Champion D gukesh suffered a 42-move classical defeat against World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen on the eve of his 20th birthday in Round 4 of Norway Chess 2026. Meanwhile, Divya Deshmukh's brilliant unbeaten streak came to an end after losing her Armageddon tiebreak to Ukraine's Anna Muzychuk. R Praggnanandhaa won his game, while Koneru Humpy's tough run continues.

Round 7 of Norway Chess saw Indian stars bounce back after a difficult previous round. R Praggnanandhaa defeated Alireza Firouzja in a commanding classical game, while Divya Deshmukh beat Koneru Humpy in an Armageddon tie-break to remain second in the women’s standings. Meanwhile, Magnus Carlsen and D gukesh won their Armageddon games but remained at the bottom of the open-section leaderboard.

D gukesh admitted criticism over his recent poor form is fair, saying, “They have the right to say what they feel and I have the right to do my best.” Since winning the world title against Ding Liren in 2024, gukesh has struggled for consistency, drawing criticism from legends like Magnus Carlsen and Anatoly Karpov.

Indian chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh stunned reigning women's world champion Ju Wenjun in an Armageddon tie-breaker at Norway Chess. Meanwhile, gukesh also secured an Armageddon victory against Vincent Keymer after a lengthy classical draw. Humpy Koneru, however, fell to Bibisara Assaubayeva in her classical encounter.

Indian chess prodigy D gukesh expressed excitement about potentially playing his World Championship match in India, calling it "super cool." The 19-year-old, who will face Javokhir Sindarov, prefers a warmer venue than his opponent's home country. gukesh acknowledged recent performance dips but views the pressure as a privilege for growth.

Praggnanandhaa became the first Indian to win Norway Chess since the tournament began in 2013. During the event, he defeated world No. 1 and seven-time Norway Chess champion Magnus Carlsen twice, a rare achievement in top-level chess.

India enjoyed a decent opening day at Norway Chess as 20-year-old debutante Divya Deshmukh held World Champion Ju Wenjun to a classical draw before defeating her in the Armageddon tiebreak. Joining her in the winner's circle were D gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa, who also won their respective Armageddon matches, while Magnus Carlsen suffered a shock defeat.

As Norway Chess moves to Oslo for its 2026 edition, all eyes are on the Indian contingent. From World Champion D gukesh seeking urgent form before his title defence to Koneru Humpy making a highly anticipated return to the board, we break down the biggest storylines dominating the 12-day double round-robin tournament.

Despite a painful ankle injury, Alireza Firouzja triumphed over R Praggnanandhaa in the Norway chess meet, with his coach noting the discomfort itself is a disadvantage. Meanwhile, Divya Deshmukh continued her winning streak against K Humpy in the women's event. All eyes are now on the highly anticipated clash between D gukesh and Magnus Carlsen.

R Praggnanandhaa has made history, becoming the first Indian to clinch the prestigious Norway Chess title. He secured the championship with a stunning final-round victory over Vincent Keymer, overcoming a deficit to claim the crown. This remarkable win earns him 700,000 Norwegian Kroner, approximately Rs 70.5 lakh.

Ian Nepomniachtchi criticised reigning world champion D gukesh for inconsistent performances, saying nearly every top GM currently has a strong chance against him. Nepomniachtchi also backed Javokhir Sindarov as favourite for their 2026 World Championship clash, citing his strong form and higher rating. gukesh, meanwhile, has taken a break from classical chess to prepare for his title defence.

Youngster Divya Deshmukh continued her fine start at Norway Chess by defeating country No. 1 Koneru Humpy in an Armageddon tiebreak after a tactical classical draw. It was a bleak day for India in the open section, however, as R Praggnanandhaa lost in classical to Alireza Firouzja, while D gukesh fell to Wesley So in Armageddon.

Kazakhstan's Bibisara Assaubayeva, a three-time Women's World Blitz champion, believes more boys playing chess and coaches focusing on them contribute to the gender gap in the sport. Currently leading the Norway elite title, she's on track to win a significant prize, mirroring the men's winnings. Assaubayeva is receiving support from fellow player Javokhir Sindarov and his coach.

In an unexpected turn at his hometown tournament, Magnus Carlsen experienced a surprising defeat, falling to Wesley So in his third classical game. With the demands of fatherhood weighing on him and priorities evolving, these losses are certainly noteworthy. On a different note, Divya Deshmukh is making waves in the women's division, displaying remarkable skill against fierce rivals.

Indian chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa secured a remarkable second classical victory against world champion Magnus Carlsen in Norway. Despite a complex game where both players faced time trouble and made errors, Praggnanandhaa's strategic play ultimately led to Carlsen's resignation. The young Indian's candid assessment highlighted his ambition and the unpredictable nature of high-level chess.

Indian chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa stunned World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen for the second time at the Norway Chess tournament. Carlsen, admitting to uncharacteristic errors under time pressure, finds himself in a rare slump. Despite this, Praggnanandhaa believes Carlsen's prowess remains high, attributing the losses to off days for the reigning champion.

Norway Chess 2026 begins on May 25 in Oslo, featuring stars like Magnus Carlsen, gukesh Dommaraju, Praggnanandhaa and Wesley So. Indian viewers can watch the tournament live on Mirror Now, while online streaming will be available on Chess.com, the official Norway Chess website and YouTube. The tournament runs till June 5 and also features a strong women’s lineup led by Ju Wenjun and Humpy Koneru.