Pragg, Gukesh and Divya shine on opening day of Norway Chess 2026
May 26, 2026
Indian Grandmasters R Praggnanandhaa and D Gukesh began their Norway Chess 2026 campaigns with thrilling Armageddon victories after hard-fought draws in their classical games in Oslo.
Praggnanandhaa defeated Wesley So in the tiebreak after the classical encounter ended level, while reigning world champion Gukesh overcame Vincent Keymer in Armageddon following a dramatic escape in the classical game. Keymer had come close to victory before Gukesh defended resiliently to force the decider.
In the women’s section, Indian youngster Divya Deshmukh impressed with a stunning Armageddon win over reigning Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun after their classical game ended in a tense draw.
Another major result saw Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva defeat Indian No. 1 Koneru Humpy in classical chess to secure full points.
The opening round also witnessed a huge upset in the open section as Alireza Firouzja stunned Magnus Carlsen in classical play.
