Norway Chess 2026 Round 5 Recap: Firouzja Maintains Lead as So and Gukesh Shine

Women’s Tournament Update: Divya Deshmukh Takes the Lead

Norway Chess 2026: Firouzja Maintains Lead as So and Gukesh Shine in Round 5

Oslo, Norway – The fifth round of Norway Chess 2026 proved to be a thrilling spectacle, featuring decisive outcomes in half of the classical games. As the tournament progresses, GM Alireza Firouzja continues to hold a commanding lead, while GM Wesley So and World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju made significant strides in the standings.

In a highly anticipated clash, Firouzja faced GM Vincent Keymer, who had a golden opportunity to challenge the tournament leader. However, Keymer faltered, allowing Firouzja to secure victory in the subsequent armageddon match. With this win, Firouzja remains 1.5 points ahead of the competition, solidifying his position at the top.

In a stunning upset, GM Wesley So triumphed over world number one GM Magnus Carlsen in their classical encounter. This victory marks only the second time So has bested Carlsen in a classical format, propelling him to second place in the standings. Meanwhile, Carlsen finds himself in an unusual position—at the bottom of the leaderboard.

Gukesh Dommaraju also made headlines by claiming his first classical win of the tournament against GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu. This victory places Gukesh in third, just two points behind So, as the competition heats up.

In the women’s tournament, GM Divya Deshmukh has taken the lead after GM Zhu Jiner overextended in a favorable position, resulting in a loss. Divya now leads GM Bibisara Assaubayeva by half a point, following Assaubayeva’s defeat in a wild armageddon match against GM Anna Muzychuk. Notably, GM Koneru Humpy has struggled, losing five consecutive armageddon matches, while Ju Wenjun remains winless in the tournament.

As the players return from a well-deserved rest day, anticipation builds for round six, which kicks off on Sunday, May 30, at 11 a.m. ET / 17:00 CEST / 8:30 p.m. IST.

Round 5 Results Recap

• Open Tournament:

  • Alireza Firouzja vs. Vincent Keymer: Firouzja wins in armageddon
  • Wesley So vs. Magnus Carlsen: So wins
  • Gukesh Dommaraju vs. Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu: Gukesh wins

• Women’s Tournament:

  • Divya Deshmukh vs. Zhu Jiner: Deshmukh wins
  • Bibisara Assaubayeva vs. Anna Muzychuk: Muzychuk wins in armageddon

Upcoming Matches

As the tournament approaches its halfway mark, the stakes are higher than ever. Fans can catch all the action live on Chess24’s YouTube and Twitch channels, or follow the games on the official events page.

Norway Chess 2026 features both Open and Women’s tournaments, each with equal prize funds of 1,690,000 NOK (~$182k). The tournament runs from May 25 to June 5 in Oslo, with players facing off in classical chess formats.

Stay tuned for more updates as the drama unfolds in Norway Chess 2026!