Thrilling Clashes Define Dramatic Round 4 at Norway Chess 2026

Round 4 of Norway Chess 2026 in Oslo saw dramatic battles with Magnus Carlsen achieving a critical win over World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju, and several tense Armageddon duels deciding outcomes in the men's and women's sections. Firouzja and Assaubayeva maintain leads in their respective categories.

The fourth round of Norway Chess 2026 in Oslo delivered a gripping day of chess, marked by the showdown between World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju. Playing with the black pieces, Carlsen secured a pivotal victory after turning the tides in a closely fought match.

Carlsen's win came as he capitalized in the middlegame against Gukesh, who struggled to retain his position under the clock's pressure. This triumph boosts Carlsen's tournament standings as he aims to gain momentum after a subdued start to the event. Meanwhile, the other two open section matches were drawn at classical control, eventually settled in the high-stakes Armageddon phase.

Wesley So and Alireza Firouzja drew in their classical game, but So claimed the additional point in Armageddon. Elsewhere, Vincent Keymer and R Praggnanandhaa split the points before Praggnanandhaa clinched victory in the tie-break. Firouzja still leads in the standings, while Carlsen rises significantly. In the women's category, the round featured all classical games ending in draws, moving the decision to Armageddon. Zhu Jiner, Ju Wenjun, and Anna Muzychuk emerged as victors in these decisive tie-breaks, keeping them competitive on the leaderboard.