2 min readJun 5, 2026 07:51 AM IST
A year after India’s D Gukesh and Magnus Carlsen found themselves in a final-day race to win Norway Chess 2025, the world champion and the world no 1 are again in a final round scramble for position. Only this time, when Gukesh faces Carlsen on Friday at Oslo’s Deichman Bjørvika, they will be looking to avoid last spot in the standings while R Praggnanandhaa, Wesley So and Alireza Firouzja jockey for the top spot.
It has been one of the most bruising tournaments for both Gukesh and Carlsen, with the former winning just one of his nine classical games while the Norwegian has won twice. Both players have lost four classical games each in Norway Chess. They both suffered defeats on Thursday in the penultimate round (albeit Carlsen lost in the Armageddon portion). The Indian, who turned 20 on the first rest day of the tournament, lost in the classical portion to compatriot Praggnanandhaa in just 34 moves.
In the first all-Indian encounter in the first half of Norway Chess (round 4), Praggnanadhaa had been winning when he blundered and lost to Gukesh. On Thursday, though, he was at his clinical self as he racked up his third classical win in a row right after losing two consecutive games.
“I’m quite proud about this game honestly. Because this is how I usually lose to Gukesh. He does some weird, creative stuff. I end up overthinking and somehow doing something myself and losing,” Praggnanandhaa said on the official Norway Chess broadcast.
Meanwhile, Carlsen was held to a draw by Wesley So and then defeated in the Armageddon.
Heading into the final day, Carlsen is on 10 points while Gukesh is on eight, which means that Gukesh can only escape last spot by defeating Carlsen in the classical section.
Meanwhile, at the top of the table, Wesley So leads Praggnanandhaa by half a point with Alireza a further half point behind the Indian. Praggnanandhaa takes on Vincent Keymer in round 10.
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