Norway Chess: Gukesh downs Praggnanandhaa to revive title hopes; Divya storms into lead
Reigning champion Magnus Carlsen’s woes deepened further with his defeat to American Grandmaster Wesley So, leaving him as world No. 1 in the six-player rankings after five rounds.
This victory lifted So into second place with 8.5 points, 10 points behind tournament leader Alireza Firouzja, who remains at the top and has dominated the field so far.
The victory seemed to breathe new life into the field for Gukesh, who currently sits in third place with 6.5 points.
Read More: Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa stunned Magnus Carlsen in classic thriller in Round 3 of Norwegian Chess
As fans packed the arena and flocked around the world champion to take autographs, selfies and photos, Gukesh looked much more relaxed after a difficult few days in which he often quietly left the arcade following disappointing results.
Praggnanandhaa took fourth place with six points, while German Grandmaster Vincent Keymer came fifth with five points. Carlsen, meanwhile, finished in an unusual last place with 4.5 points. For Gukesh, another classic victory in Round 6 and a defeat by Firouzja could bring him within striking distance of the lead.
The All India clash was an up-and-down race with momentum constantly swinging between the two players. Both relished their chance to win, but ultimately it was Gukesh who held his nerve when it mattered most.
The game arising from the Ragozin Defense initially appeared to favor Praggnanandhaa, although the engines showed little distinction.
Gukesh was unimpressed, though, even making his first visit to the confessional booth and showing little concern about his situation.
A tense battle turned into a fight for time, with both players completing the critical phase around move 40 with only seconds to spare. Amidst the mounting pressure, Praggnanandhaa made a costly mistake and gave Gukesh the opening he needed.
The world champion pounced with determination and converted the opportunity into a swift checkmate attack.
Gukesh summed it up as “a very complex game” and added with a smile: “Fortunately, the tricks worked for me.”
“I felt a lot of pressure from the beginning and was very nervous, but I’m lucky that I was able to do it. I’m definitely in much, much better shape than I was a few months ago. I feel much sharper. The results are improving, although they’re still not where I want them to be. But if I continue to play good chess, I believe success will come,” Gukesh said.
“When you’re happy, you feel good. You feel confident and sharp, and you automatically have the confidence to make good decisions quickly. These may seem like little things, but at the end of the day they make a big difference,” added the world champion.
Read More: Critics are right, I didn’t perform well 😀 Gukesh
He kept the title race alive by toppling Carlsen, such a win would make him the only player to draw level with the leader.
Divya Deshmukh becomes leader of women’s wing
After a day on the speedboat, young Indian women’s World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh showed the same pace, outlasting China’s Zhu Jiner in a classic match to claim three points and top the six-player rankings for the first time with 8.5 points.
Divya appeared to be left behind after Zhu introduced a new idea in the opening, but the play soon veered into uncharted territory.
Trusting his instincts, the Indian repeatedly came up with skillful moves to stay in the fight as the balance slowly shifted. Zhu failed to capitalize on a key opportunity to force a draw, allowing Divya to seize the initiative.
While both players eventually struggled for the 10-second increment, Divya’s relentless pressure paid off, resulting in a hard-earned 84-move victory that put her in the sole lead.
Results after Round 5:
Open: Alireza Firouzja (FRA) 10 bt Vincent Keymer (GER, 5); Magnus Carlsen (NOR, 4.5) lost to Wesley So (USA, 8.5); R Praggnanandhaa (IND, 6) lost to D Gukesh (IND, 6.5).
Women: Zhu Jiner (CHN, 5) lost to Divya Deshmukh (IND, 8.5); Anna Muzychuk (UKR, 7) and Bibisara Assaubeyeva (KAZ, 8); Ju Wenjun (CHN, 5) lost to Koneru Humpy (IND, 4.5).
