Norway Chess Round 6: Indian Contingent Faces Setbacks as Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, and Deshmukh Suffer Defeats; Magnus Carlsen Finds Redemption

Title: Gloomy Day for Indian Chess Stars at Norway Chess as Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh, and Divya Deshmukh Suffer Defeats

NEW DELHI: The excitement of Round 6 at Norway Chess quickly turned to disappointment for the Indian chess contingent as they faced a series of setbacks on Sunday. The reverse fixtures at the Deichman Bjørvika library in Oslo mirrored the opening round pairings, but this time, the results were far from favorable for the Indian players.

In the opening round, D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, and Divya Deshmukh had all celebrated victories, albeit through Armageddon tie-breaks, while veteran Koneru Humpy was the only one to falter. However, the tables turned dramatically in Round 6, with all three young stars suffering classical defeats, and Humpy also losing her tie-break match.

Norway Chess is known for its unique scoring system, where a classical victory earns a hefty 3 points, a draw nets 1 point, and the winner of an Armageddon tie-break receives an additional 0.5 points. This structure places immense pressure on players to secure classical wins, a reality that hit the Indian contingent hard as they faced the consequences of their losses.

Keymer Outmaneuvers Gukesh; Praggnanandhaa Also Beaten

D Gukesh, who played with the black pieces, faced Germany’s Vincent Keymer, who expertly navigated a London-style opening into a dynamic middlegame. Gukesh’s adventurous defense proved costly when he captured a pawn on b2, allowing Keymer to mount relentless pressure. The German Grandmaster’s pieces quickly invaded the seventh rank, leading to a decisive material advantage and a 52-move victory.

Praggnanandhaa, eager to bounce back after his Round 5 loss to Gukesh, faced American Grandmaster Wesley So. The young Indian Grandmaster launched an ambitious kingside expansion, but after a series of exchanges, So capitalized on Praggnanandhaa’s overextended d-pawn. With flawless endgame technique, So forced Praggnanandhaa to resign on move 63, leaving the Indian star at the bottom of the standings.

Divya Deshmukh Relinquishes the Lead

Divya Deshmukh entered her match against Women’s World Chess Champion Ju Wenjun as the tournament leader. However, despite a strong start, she struggled to maintain control as Ju launched an aggressive kingside expansion. The Chinese Grandmaster’s precise strikes won material and transitioned into a winning rook endgame, forcing Divya to concede defeat after a grueling 69 moves. With this loss, Divya slipped to second place in the standings.

Elsewhere: Magnus Carlsen Back to Winning Ways, Humpy’s Struggles Continue

In a day of redemption, five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen found his footing by defeating Alireza Firouzja, the very player who had bested him in the opening round. This victory marked a rare statistical sweep for Norway Chess, with every classical game ending in a win for White.

Meanwhile, Koneru Humpy’s struggles continued as she faced Bibisara Assaubayeva in the tie-breaks, ultimately losing and remaining at the bottom of the points table. In another match-up, Chinese Grandmaster Zhu Jiner triumphed over defending Norway Chess Women’s champion Anna Muzychuk.

As the tournament progresses, the Indian players will need to regroup and strategize if they hope to reclaim their positions in the standings. With the unique challenges of Norway Chess, every match is a test of skill and resilience.