{"id":15713,"date":"2026-06-02T09:09:17","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T03:39:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/banitoday.com\/norway-chess-r-praggnanandhaa-divya-deshmukh-back-to-winning-ways-gukesh-magnus-carlsen-share-bottom-spots-despite-wins-chess-news\/"},"modified":"2026-06-02T09:09:17","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T03:39:17","slug":"norway-chess-r-praggnanandhaa-divya-deshmukh-back-to-winning-ways-gukesh-magnus-carlsen-share-bottom-spots-despite-wins-chess-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/banitoday.com\/hi\/norway-chess-r-praggnanandhaa-divya-deshmukh-back-to-winning-ways-gukesh-magnus-carlsen-share-bottom-spots-despite-wins-chess-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Norway Chess: R Praggnanandhaa, Divya Deshmukh back to winning ways; Gukesh, Magnus Carlsen share bottom spots despite wins | Chess News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-131453729,imgsize-81642,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/r-praggnanandhaa-divya-deshmukh-d-gukesh-and-magnus-carlsen-photo-by-michal-walusza-for-norway-chess.jpg\" alt=\"Norway Chess: R Praggnanandhaa, Divya Deshmukh back to winning ways; Gukesh, Magnus Carlsen share bottom spots despite wins\" title=\"R Praggnanandhaa, Divya Deshmukh, D Gukesh, and Magnus Carlsen (Photo by Michal Walusza for Norway Chess)\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"R Praggnanandhaa, Divya Deshmukh, D Gukesh, and Magnus Carlsen (Photo by Michal Walusza for Norway Chess)\">R Praggnanandhaa, Divya Deshmukh, D Gukesh, and Magnus Carlsen (Photo by Michal Walusza for Norway Chess)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>NEW DELHI: Ahead of the 2026 Norway Chess, which is currently in its 14th edition, if someone had told you that halfway down the line, reigning World Chess Champion D Gukesh and World No.<!-- --> 1 <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/topic\/magnus-carlsen\" styleobj=\"[object Object]\" class=\"\" commonstate=\"[object Object]\" frmappuse=\"1\">Magnus Carlsen<\/a> would be the last and second-to-last names on the points table, there would have been countless questions over that person&#8217;s sanity. And rightly so. Who would have ever thought that as the drama at the Deichman Bj\u00f8rvika Library in Oslo reached its climax and began its voyage towards the end, with just three rounds remaining, we would see two of the most talked-about players in the circuit still completely out of contention for the crown?<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"5\"\/>Monday was Round 7, where the Indians managed to amass pretty commendable results after enduring a tumultuous day at the office in the previous round, where all of them suffered losses. <!-- -->The most authoritative performance came from Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"10\"\/> <span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"13\"\/>Playing with the White pieces against Firouzja, the Chennai-born wonderkid displayed the mettle needed to make a turnaround following his classical defeat to Germany&#8217;s Vincent Keymer on Sunday.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"15\"\/> <\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"R Praggnanandhaa vs Alireza Firouzja (Photo by Michal Walusza for Norway Chess)\" msid=\"131453741\" width=\"\" title=\"\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" imgsize=\"\" resizemode=\"4\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-131453741\/r-praggnanandhaa-vs-alireza-firouzja-photo-by-michal-walusza-for-norway-chess.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"18\"\/>Praggnanandhaa handled the Giuoco Pianissimo patiently, improving his piece placement before striking on the queenside. After simplifying into a dynamic middlegame, he won key queenside pawns and exploited Black\u2019s loose coordination.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"21\"\/> <span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"24\"\/>The critical phase came after 35.Ra1, when tactical complications favoured White. Praggnanandhaa\u2019s active queen, centralised pieces, and strong knight on f4 generated constant threats.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"26\"\/>By 49.Kh3, Black\u2019s position completely collapsed, handing Firouzja\u2014once the tournament leader in the open section\u2014his second consecutive classical defeat in the tournament.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"28\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2><keyword id=\"20380119\" type=\"General\" weightage=\"20\" keywordseo=\"Divya-Deshmukh\" source=\"keywords\">Divya Deshmukh<\/keyword> beats <keyword id=\"20134644\" type=\"General\" weightage=\"20\" keywordseo=\"Koneru-Humpy\" source=\"keywords\">Koneru Humpy<\/keyword> twice in Armageddon in consecutive weeks<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"30\"\/>The all-Indian clash, which was a reverse fixture of Round 2 in Norway Chess Women this year, headed to an Armageddon tie-break after the classical clash between Divya Deshmukh and veteran Koneru Humpy failed to produce a winner in the longer format of the game.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"33\"\/>As is the custom for Armageddon tie-breaks, Black has to stop White from winning while getting more time on the clock (ten minutes to White&#8217;s seven, in this case). Divya Deshmukh had the Black pieces.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"35\"\/> <\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Koneru Humpy vs Divya Deshmukh (Photo by Michal Walusza for Norway Chess)\" msid=\"131453753\" width=\"\" title=\"\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" imgsize=\"\" resizemode=\"4\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/msid-131453753\/koneru-humpy-vs-divya-deshmukh-photo-by-michal-walusza-for-norway-chess.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"38\"\/>As she accepted the Benko Gambit and gradually seized the initiative through active piece play, Humpy obtained some attacking chances, but Black\u2019s pieces became increasingly coordinated.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"40\"\/> <span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"43\"\/>The queen trade on move 25 worked wonders for the 20-year-old from Nagpur, as Divya converted the position into a favourable tactical endgame. <!-- -->Precise moves such as 27&#8230;Rd1+ and 28&#8230;Ne1+ exposed White\u2019s king, and 31&#8230;Nxc1 won her the game.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"47\"\/>With this win in the tie-break, Divya stayed second, currently trailing women&#8217;s section leader Bibisara Assaubayeva by 2.5 points.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"49\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Elsewhere: Magnus Carlsen, Gukesh both win their armageddon tie-breaks <br \/><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"51\"\/>Magnus Carlsen has had a terrible tournament so far by his standards. However, the local hero, who is also the five-time world champion, managed to outsmart Keymer in the Armageddon tie-break. The situation turned out to be somewhat similar for 20-year-old Gukesh, as he drew his classical game before beating Wesley So in the Armageddon.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"53\"\/><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"55\"\/>In the women&#8217;s section, Bibisara offered another display of the fine form she is in with a classical win over China&#8217;s Zhu Jiner. Meanwhile, Women&#8217;s World Champion Ju Wenjun lost to the reigning Norway Chess Women champion Anna Muzychuk.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"57\"\/><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/sports\/chess\/norway-chess-r-praggnanandhaa-divya-deshmukh-back-to-winning-ways-gukesh-magnus-carlsen-share-bottom-spots-despite-wins\/articleshow\/131453695.cms\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>R Praggnanandhaa, Divya Deshmukh, D Gukesh, and Magnus Carlsen (Photo by Michal Walusza for Norway Chess) NEW DELHI: Ahead of the 2026 Norway Chess, which is currently in its 14th edition, if someone had told you that halfway down the line, reigning World Chess Champion D Gukesh and World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen would be [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15714,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[263],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/banitoday.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/banitoday.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/banitoday.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/banitoday.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/banitoday.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15713"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/banitoday.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15713\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/banitoday.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/banitoday.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/banitoday.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/banitoday.com\/hi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}