Norway Chess 2026: Divya Deshmukh stays in title hunt; Praggnanandhaa beats Alireza Firouzja
(Courtesy :Â Norway Chess)
Reigning World Champion Gukesh has dropped to the bottom
Round seven of Norway Chess 2026 kept the pressure on in Oslo, with a decisive classical result and two tense Armageddon battles.
The headline result came when Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu defeated Alireza Firouzja in classical chess. The Indian star outplayed Firouzja in a long struggle and converted his advantage with confident technique to score a crucial victory.
The result tightens the race at the top of the standings and hands Firouzja his second classical defeat of the tournament.
World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and Vincent Keymer played a hard-fought classical draw after a long encounter in which neither player could break through.
Carlsen later prevailed in the Armageddon game to secure the extra points and remain within striking distance of the leaders.
The remaining game between World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju and Wesley So also ended in a draw after a tense battle. Gukesh went on to win the Armageddon game, collecting the additional points.
Following round seven, Wesley So continues to lead the tournament with 12.5 points. Alireza Firouzja remains second with 10 points, while Magnus Carlsen, Vincent Keymer and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu are all close behind with 9 points.
Assaubayeva strengthens lead at Norway Chess Women
Bibisara Assaubayeva produced the biggest result of the day in Norway Chess Women, scoring a classical victory to extend her lead at the top of the standings.
Facing Zhu Jiner with the white pieces, Assaubayeva took control after a difficult middlegame and converted her advantage with confidence. The full three points give the Kazakh grandmaster a significant boost as the tournament enters its final stretch.
Humpy Koneru and Divya Deshmukh ended in a draw after a tense classical game. Divya then won the Armageddon game with the black pieces, securing the extra points and strengthening her position as Assaubayeva’s closest challenger.
Reigning Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun and Anna Muzychuk also ended in a draw in classical chess after a closely contested game.
Muzychuk later defeated Ju Wenjun in Armageddon, earning important additional points and staying firmly in the race near the top of the table.
Following round seven, Bibisara Assaubayeva leads Norway Chess Women with 12.5 points. Divya Deshmukh remains second with 10 points, while Anna Muzychuk is close behind with 9.5 points.
Who leads the women’s standings after round 7 at Norway Chess 2026?
Bibisara Assaubayeva leads the women’s table with 12.5 points, 2-5 points ahead of India’s Divya Deshmukh (10 points).
Who leads the men’s standings after round 7 at Norway Chess 2026?
Wesley So has consolidated his spot at the top with 2.5 points lead after his closest challenger Alireza Firouzja dropped to a defeat against Praggnanandhaa.
Who is the highest-ranked Indian in men’s division after Round 7 at Norway Chess 2026?
After his stunning classical chess win over Iran’s Alireza Firouzja in round 7, Pragg has moved to third place, which he shares with Vincent Keymer and Magnus Carlsen. World Champion Gukesh remains at the bottom.
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Alex graduated in mass communication in 2016 and has been covering global sports for Khel Now since then. He is covering sports tech, igaming, sports betting and casino domain from 2017.