Praggnanandhaa, Carlsen, Gukesh secure key wins in Norway Chess Round 7

OSLO: The headline result in Round 7 of Norway Chess 2026 in Oslo saw R Praggnanandhaa defeat Alireza Firouzja in classical play, producing a significant shift in the tournament standings. The Indian star outplayed Firouzja in a long, hard-fought battle before converting his advantage with precise and confident technique to secure a crucial victory.

The result tightens the race at the top of the leaderboard while handing Firouzja his second classical defeat of the event. World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and Vincent Keymer played out a closely contested classical draw after an intense encounter in which neither player managed to break through.

Carlsen, however, went on to win the Armageddon tie-break to claim the extra points and stay firmly in contention near the top of the standings.

Standings Update

Bibisara Assaubayeva is on top of Norway Chess Women, now leading by 2.5 points after another huge classical win over Zhu Jiner

At Norway Chess, Wesley So stays at the top with a 2,5 point lead after his closest chaser Alireza Firouzja drops back… pic.twitter.com/nGGB9i2n06

— Norway Chess (@NorwayChess) June 1, 2026

The remaining classical encounter between World Champion D Gukesh and Wesley So also ended in a hard-fought draw after a tense battle. Gukesh, however, went on to win the Armageddon tie-break, securing the additional points on offer. Following Round 7 of Norway Chess 2026, Wesley So continues to lead the standings with 12.5 points, while Alireza Firouzja remains in second place on 10 points.

World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, Vincent Keymer, and R Praggnanandhaa are all closely grouped behind on 9 points, keeping the title race finely poised heading into the final rounds.

Bibisara Assaubayeva produced the standout result of the day in Norway Chess Women, registering a crucial classical victory to strengthen her lead at the top of the standings.

Playing with the white pieces against Zhu Jiner, Assaubayeva seized control after a testing middlegame and converted her advantage with assured technique. The win secured a full three points and provided a significant boost as the tournament heads into its decisive phase.

Elsewhere, Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh played out a tense draw in classical play. Divya, however, struck back in the Armageddon tie-break, winning with the black pieces to claim the bonus points and further close the gap on the leader.

Reigning Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun and Anna Muzychuk also shared the points after a closely fought classical encounter. Muzychuk later prevailed in Armageddon, collecting valuable additional points to remain firmly in contention near the top of the table.

Following round seven, Bibisara Assaubayeva leads the Norway Chess Women’s with 12.5 points. Divya Deshmukh remains second with 10 points, while Anna Muzychuk is close behind with 9.5 points. (ANI)