Gukesh roars back in Norway Chess, stuns Pragg as Carlsen slips to last

A day after celebrating his 20th birthday, reigning world champion D. Gukesh rediscovered his form in style, defeating fellow Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa in a dramatic classical encounter to reignite his Norway Chess campaign.

The victory earned Gukesh three full points, lifting him to third place on 6.5 points after five rounds and putting him back in contention in the elite six-player tournament.

The result also came on a day when defending champion Magnus Carlsen's struggles continued. The world No. 1 suffered another setback, losing to American Grandmaster Wesley So and dropping to the bottom of the standings with 4.5 points.

Tournament leader Alireza Firouzja tightened his grip on first place with 10 points after defeating Germany's Vincent Keymer, while So climbed to second on 8.5 points.

For Gukesh, the victory marked a welcome turnaround after a difficult start to the event.

The all-Indian clash proved a roller-coaster battle from the outset. Playing the Ragozin Defence, Praggnanandhaa appeared to hold the initiative for long stretches despite computer evaluations showing a relatively balanced position.

Gukesh, however, remained composed throughout, even making his first appearance in the tournament's confessional booth and showing little concern over the pressure building on the board.

As the game entered a tense time scramble approaching move 40, both players were forced to make critical decisions with only seconds remaining on their clocks.

The decisive moment came when Praggnanandhaa committed a costly error under pressure.

Gukesh immediately seized the opportunity, launching a powerful attack that quickly led to checkmate.

"It was just a very complex game. Luckily, the tricks kind of worked out for me," Gukesh said after the victory.

The world champion admitted he had been under pressure throughout the contest but was pleased with his growing confidence and sharpness.

"I felt a lot of pressure and was very tense from the start, but I'm lucky to have come through. I'm surely doing much, much better than I was a couple of months back. I feel much sharper."

Gukesh said he remains focused on improving rather than obsessing over results.

"The results are improving, though they are still not where I want them to be. But I believe that if I continue playing good chess, success will come."

Reflecting on the mental side of elite competition, he added:

"When you're happy, you feel good about yourself. You feel confident and sharp over the board, and you automatically trust yourself to make quick, good decisions."

The win sparked a noticeable change in atmosphere around the tournament venue, with fans flocking to Gukesh for autographs and photographs after the game.

Praggnanandhaa remained fourth on six points, while Keymer slipped to fifth with five points.

With several rounds still to play, another classical victory for Gukesh combined with a Firouzja stumble could bring the Indian teenager within striking distance of the tournament lead.

Divya Deshmukh Takes Sole Lead in Women's Event

India enjoyed further success in the women's section as Divya Deshmukh defeated China's Zhu Jiner in a hard-fought classical game to move into sole lead.

The young Indian, fresh from her Women's World Cup triumph, overcame early difficulties after Zhu introduced a fresh opening idea before gradually wresting control of the game.

Zhu missed a chance to force a draw, allowing Divya to seize the initiative and apply relentless pressure in a marathon contest.

After 84 moves and a tense battle played largely on the increment, Divya secured a crucial victory to move to the top of the standings with 8.5 points.

The result made her the outright leader of the women's tournament for the first time.

In other women's games, Koneru Humpy defeated reigning women's world champion Ju Wenjun, while Anna Muzychuk overcame Bibisara Assaubayeva.

With Indian players making significant moves in both sections, Norway Chess has suddenly taken on a distinctly Indian flavour heading into the second half of the tournament.

With PTI inputs