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India's challenge at the Norway Chess tournament received a significant boost in Round 7 as D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa registered important victories, while Divya Deshmukh bounced back strongly from her previous-round disappointment to defeat compatriot Koneru Humpy and remain firmly in contention for the women's title.

World champion Gukesh secured 1.5 points from his encounter against American Grandmaster Wesley So, prevailing in the Armageddon tie-break after failing to convert a winning position in the classical game. The result took his tally to eight points, although he continued to occupy the sixth and final spot in the six-player double round-robin standings.

Praggnanandhaa, meanwhile, delivered one of the standout performances of the day, handing French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja a second consecutive classical defeat. The Indian youngster earned the maximum three points from the victory and moved up to nine points. Despite the valuable win, he remained fifth in the standings, with Gukesh still at the bottom.

However, both Indian players remained within striking distance of the leaders, keeping their title hopes alive with three rounds still remaining in the prestigious tournament. Wesley So retained his position at the top of the standings with 12.5 points despite his Armageddon loss to Gukesh. Firouzja held onto second place with 10 points, while a closely packed trio comprising Praggnanandhaa, world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and Germany’s Vincent Keymer shared third place on nine points each. With only a few rounds left, the race for the title remains wide open.

Seven-time Norway Chess champion Magnus Carlsen also strengthened his challenge after overcoming Vincent Keymer in an Armageddon tie-break. The Norwegian star, who endured an inconsistent start to the tournament, has steadily regained momentum and remains a serious contender for the crown.
Given his track record of producing strong finishes and mounting comebacks under pressure, Carlsen cannot be ruled out as the competition enters its decisive phase.

Playing with the white pieces, Gukesh gradually outplayed Wesley So in the classical game and built a clearly advantageous position by activating his king and pressing his opponent across the board. However, severe time pressure proved to be his biggest obstacle. While So still had nearly an hour remaining on his clock, Gukesh was left with only 18 minutes and was unable to find the most accurate continuation, allowing the American to escape with a draw.

 

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The Indian world champion, however, made no mistake in the Armageddon tie-break. Demonstrating sharp tactical awareness and excellent calculation, Gukesh seized a critical queenside pawn and maintained control of the game before eventually securing the victory.

Praggnanandhaa also impressed with a mature and clinical display against Firouzja. Playing with white, he gained the upper hand around move 26 when he won an extra pawn and gradually increased the pressure. As the game progressed, the French Grandmaster found himself battling both the position and the clock.

Sensing his opportunity, Praggnanandhaa continued probing for weaknesses before launching a decisive attack at a critical stage of the contest. Firouzja, reduced to just two minutes on his clock, struggled to organise a defence, allowing the Indian to convert his advantage into a commanding victory.

In the women’s section, Divya Deshmukh produced another fearless performance to keep her title aspirations alive. The young Indian star sacrificed a pawn early in the game but generated enough activity and attacking chances to fully compensate for the material deficit.

Facing experienced compatriot Koneru Humpy in an all-Indian showdown, Divya fought hard throughout the classical game, which eventually ended in a draw. She then displayed remarkable composure in the Armageddon tie-break, emerging victorious to secure the extra point.

The win lifted Divya to 10 points and ensured she remained firmly in the race for the title. With a crucial Round 8 clash against tournament leader Bibisara Assaubayeva looming, a classical victory could significantly narrow the gap at the top of the standings.

Assaubayeva, however, continued her impressive run of form. The Kazakh player defeated China's Zhu Jiner in the classical game to earn the full three points and extend her lead to 12.5 points. Divya remained her closest challenger, trailing by 2.5 points as the competition entered its final stages.

Reflecting on her performance, Divya admitted she had missed opportunities during the classical portion of the match. “I started seeing ghosts and that's the only reason I didn't win in the classical game,” she said after the contest. “I saw every winning move, but somehow my mind started hallucinating. After that, the position became equal.”

Round 7 results

Open Section: R Praggnanandhaa (India, 9) defeated Alireza Firouzja (France, 10); Magnus Carlsen (Norway, 9) defeated Vincent Keymer (Germany, 9) in Armageddon; D Gukesh (India, 8) defeated Wesley So (USA, 12.5) in Armageddon.

Women's Section: Divya Deshmukh (India, 10) defeated Koneru Humpy (India, 6.5) in Armageddon; Anna Muzychuk (Ukraine, 9.5) defeated Ju Wenjun (China, 9); Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kazakhstan, 12.5) defeated Zhu Jiner (China, 7).