Praggnanandhaa Shakes Up Norway Chess 2026, Assaubayeva Leads Women's Standings

R Praggnanandhaa's victory over Alireza Firouzja in Norway Chess 2026 reshuffles the standings, while Bibisara Assaubayeva bolsters her lead in the women's event. With intense competition, both tournaments remain tightly contested heading into the final rounds.

In a pivotal match during Round 7 of Norway Chess 2026, held in Oslo, Indian chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa triumphed over Alireza Firouzja in classical play. This key victory changes the dynamics of the tournament standings, as Praggnanandhaa executed a strategy marked by precise technique, handing Firouzja his second classical loss of the event.

The outcome narrows the leaderboard while Magnus Carlsen, the World No. 1, played a tightly knit draw with Vincent Keymer. Carlsen, however, clinched the Armageddon tie-break, staying in hot pursuit of the top position. In another intense matchup, World Champion D Gukesh and Wesley So concluded their classical game in a draw, with Gukesh winning the Armageddon tie-break to capture additional critical points.

As the tournament progresses after Round 7, Wesley So remains at the helm with 12.5 points, closely followed by Alireza Firouzja at 10. Magnus Carlsen, Vincent Keymer, and R Praggnanandhaa stand by with 9 points each, ensuring the competition stays fierce. On the women's side, Bibisara Assaubayeva strengthened her grip on the lead by defeating Zhu Jiner. Meanwhile, draws and Armageddon victories saw shifts in standings among competitors like Divya Deshmukh, Anna Muzychuk, and reigning Women's World Champion Ju Wenjun.