D Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa suffer defeat in Norway Chess; Divya Deshmukh continues winning run
India endured a difficult day at Norway Chess as D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa lost in Armageddon tie-breaks despite strong classical performances. Teenager Divya Deshmukh continued her impressive form, beating Koneru Humpy to stay among the leaders.
India suffered major setbacks at the Norway Chess open section on Tuesday as D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa both fell short in Armageddon tie-breaks after hard-fought classical contests. Divya Deshmukh, on the other hand, kept up her strong run in the women’s event.
Gukesh came within touching distance of a full classical victory against Wesley So after steering the game deep into a 116-move battle and maintaining pressure for long stretches. The American grandmaster, however, escaped with a draw and turned the tables decisively in Armageddon to collect 1.5 points. Even after the loss, Gukesh stayed level with So on 2.5 points in the standings.
Praggnanandhaa’s encounter with Alireza Firouzja followed a similarly painful script for the Indian camp. Firouzja, carrying visible discomfort from an ankle injury, battled through adversity to produce another important result and move clear at the top with six points. Praggnanandhaa had looked comfortable in the early phase of the classical game, but momentum shifted as the Frenchman gradually wrested control before sealing the contest in the tie-break.
“I’m trying to play chess. I have a lot of pain, but it keeps me focused,” Firouzja said after the win as quoted by PTI.
Magnus Carlsen tastes victory
Magnus Carlsen finally registered his first success of the tournament after edging Vincent Keymer in Armageddon. The Norwegian had once again failed to convert promising moments in the classical portion but recovered in the decider to claim 1.5 points. The result lifted him alongside Praggnanandhaa on 1.5 points.
Meanwhile, the women’s section continued to provide India with encouraging performances through Divya, who defeated Koneru Humpy in Armageddon during her debut appearance at the event. The teenager moved into joint second place with three points after another composed display under pressure.
“I’m having a lot of fun with the Armageddon games here. It helps me talk through my ideas and calculate better,” she said.
In the meantime, Bibisara Assaubayeva extended her lead in the standings to 4.5 points after overcoming Zhu Jiner in Armageddon. Defending champion Anna Muzychuk also prevailed in a tie-break, defeating women’s world champion Ju Wenjun in another tense finish.
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