Norway Chess 2026: Wins for Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh and Divya sustain India's championship dreams

India's challenge at the prestigious Norway Chess 2026 received a major boost in Round 7 as D Gukesh, R. Praggnanandhaa, and Divya Deshmukh delivered crucial results to stay in contention for the title.

World champion Gukesh earned 1.5 points after defeating Wesley So in the Armageddon tie-break, recovering after missing a winning opportunity in the classical game. The result took his tally to eight points, though he remained at the bottom of the six-player standings.

Praggnanandhaa secured a vital classical victory over Alireza Firouzja, handing the French star a second consecutive classical defeat and moving to nine points.

In the women's section, Divya Deshmukh bounced back strongly by overcoming compatriot Koneru Humpy. With three rounds remaining, the Indian contingent remains firmly in the hunt as the Norway Chess title race heads into its decisive phase.