Norway Chess 2026: Praggnanandhaa defeats Gukesh as title race goes to final round; Assaubayeva wins women’s crown
R. Praggnanandhaa defeated D. Gukesh in the ninth round of the Norway Chess tournament, keeping his title hopes alive. Meanwhile, Bibisara Assaubayeva secured the women's title with one round remaining.
Why it matters
The tournament highlights the rising dominance of young Indian chess players on the global stage.
They are friends off the board but rivals when they sit across each other for a game; they set the camaraderie aside and focus on winning. R. Praggnanandhaa and D. Gukesh faced off in the ninth and penultimate round of Norway Chess on Thursday (June 4, 2026) with a lot on the line, but it was the former who won with black in 34 moves to roar back into title contention.
Standard sports reporting on tournament results.
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