OSLO : D Gukesh reignited his Norway Chess title challenge with a crucial classical victory over fellow Indian R Praggnanandhaa on Sunday, while Divya Deshmukh surged to the top of the women’s standings after defeating China’s Zhu Jiner.
Fresh from celebrating his 20th birthday, world champion Gukesh bounced back from a difficult run of results to claim three full points in a tense all-Indian encounter. The win lifted him to 6.5 points and third place in the six-player field, reviving his hopes of challenging tournament leader Alireza Firouzja.
Firouzja remained in first place on 10 points after five rounds, while American grandmaster Wesley So moved into second on 8.5 points after handing defending champion Magnus Carlsen another setback. Carlsen’s defeat left the world number one at the bottom of the standings on 4.5 points.
The clash between Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa featured multiple swings in momentum after arising from a Ragozin Defence. Both players enjoyed promising positions before the game descended into a tense time scramble approaching move 40.
Under severe time pressure, Praggnanandhaa committed a decisive error, allowing Gukesh to seize the initiative and launch a winning attack that quickly led to checkmate.
“I felt a lot of pressure and was very tense from the start, but I’m lucky to have come through,” Gukesh said after the game. “I feel much sharper. The results are improving, though they are still not where I want them to be.”
Praggnanandhaa remained fourth on six points, while Vincent Keymer occupied fifth place on five points.
In the women’s tournament, Divya produced an impressive comeback performance to defeat Zhu in an 84-move marathon. After appearing under pressure in the opening, the Indian gradually turned the game in her favour as Zhu missed opportunities to force a draw.
The victory earned Divya three points and moved her into sole possession of first place on 8.5 points, capping another landmark day for Indian chess in Oslo.
