Indian chess prodigy Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu secured a significant victory by defeating Alireza Firouzja in classical chess at the Norway Chess tournament. This win tightened the competition at the top of the standings and marked Firouzja’s second classical defeat in the event.
Meanwhile, World Champion D Gukesh engaged in a draw with Wesley So before clinching a win in the Armageddon game, earning crucial points. The tournament saw intense battles, with players like Magnus Carlsen and Vincent Keymer struggling to break through in their classical draw. Carlsen later triumphed in the Armageddon game, keeping him in contention with the leaders.
In the women’s section, Humpy Koneru and Divya Deshmukh played a tense classical game that ended in a draw. Deshmukh then emerged victorious in the Armageddon game, solidifying her position as Assaubayeva’s primary challenger. Bibisara Assaubayeva’s standout performance included a classical win against Zhu Jiner, extending her lead in the standings.
Notably, reigning Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun faced Anna Muzychuk in a closely contested classical chess match that ended in a draw. Muzychuk later defeated Ju Wenjun in Armageddon, securing crucial points and maintaining her strong position in the tournament.
After the seventh round, Wesley So leads the overall tournament with 12.5 points, followed by Alireza Firouzja with 10 points. Magnus Carlsen, Vincent Keymer, and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu closely trail with 9 points each. In the women’s category, Bibisara Assaubayeva leads with 12.5 points, followed by Divya Deshmukh with 10 points and Anna Muzychuk with 9.5 points.
