Carlsen Triumphs Over Gukesh in Norway Chess 2026; Praggnanandhaa Shines Amidst Indian Women’s Struggles

Magnus Carlsen Triumphs Over D. Gukesh in Norway Chess Showdown

Oslo, May 29, 2026 — In a thrilling fourth round of the Norway Chess 2026 tournament, Magnus Carlsen showcased his legendary prowess by defeating reigning World Champion D. Gukesh, reigniting his campaign after a rocky start. The match, held in the heart of Oslo, drew significant attention, especially following Carlsen’s emotional outburst after a previous loss to Gukesh in the 2025 tournament.

Carlsen, the World No. 1, entered the match with a challenging record, having lost two of his first three games, including a classical match against India’s rising star R. Praggnanandhaa. However, the Norwegian chess titan turned the tide in this encounter, capitalizing on late mistakes from Gukesh to secure a crucial victory and move to 4.5 points in the standings.

“I understood what I had to do to win, and I did it. That’s why I feel so relieved,” Carlsen expressed after the match, his relief palpable as he celebrated the much-needed win.

Meanwhile, Praggnanandhaa provided a silver lining for India, bouncing back from a near-miss in the classical match against Vincent Keymer. The young prodigy adopted an aggressive strategy in the Armageddon format, ultimately securing victory and climbing to second place in the tournament standings, just behind Alireza Firouza, who faced defeat at the hands of Wesley So.

However, it was a challenging day for Indian women in the tournament. Both Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh faced setbacks, losing their matches against Zhu Jiner and Anna Muzychuk, respectively, in the Armageddon rounds. Humpy, who had previously shown promise, was outclassed by Jiner after a stalemate in the classical game.

In a surprising turn, Kazakh GM Bibisara Assaubayeva rebounded from her earlier loss to Divya by defeating World Champion Ju Wenjun in Armageddon, showcasing the unpredictable nature of the tournament.

As the tournament takes a brief pause for a rest day on Friday, the chess world eagerly anticipates the resumption of play on Saturday, where the stakes will undoubtedly remain high.

Fourth Round Results:

• Open: Wesley So (USA, 5.5) defeated Alireza Firouza (Fra, 8.5) in Armageddon; D. Gukesh (3.5) lost to Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 4.5); Vincent Keymer (Ger, 4) lost to R. Praggnanandhaa (6) in Armageddon.
• Women: Koneru Humpy (3) lost to Zhu Jiner (Chn, 5.5) in Armageddon; Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kaz, 7) defeated Ju Wenjun (Chn, 4) in Armageddon; Divya Deshmukh (5.5) lost to Anna Muzychuk (Ukr, 5.5) in Armageddon.

The writer is in Oslo at the invitation of Norway Chess.