Praggnanandhaa Stuns Gukesh, Title Race Goes Down to Final Round
Jun 05, 2026
Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa kept his championship hopes alive at the Norway Chess 2026 after registering a crucial victory over reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju in Round Nine.
Praggnanandhaa’s win propelled him to 15 points, placing him just half a point behind tournament leader Wesley So, who sits at 15.5 points. Wesley secured an important Armageddon tiebreak victory over Magnus Carlsen after their classical encounter ended in a draw.
Meanwhile, Alireza Firouzja strengthened his position in third place with 14.5 points, defeating Vincent Keymer in their Armageddon game following a drawn classical battle.
With just one round remaining, the title race remains finely poised, with multiple contenders still in the hunt for the prestigious crown.
