Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa suffered a setback in Round 2 of the prestigious Norway Chess 2026 after losing to French-Iranian star Alireza Firouzja in classical chess. Meanwhile, reigning world champion D Gukesh went down to American GM Wesley So in the Armageddon tie-break following a hard-fought draw in the classical format.
In the women’s section, teenage sensation Divya Deshmukh emerged victorious against India No.1 Koneru Humpy in an intense all-Indian Armageddon clash after the classical game ended level.
Firouzja continued his impressive form after stunning world No.1 Magnus Carlsen in the opening round. The 22-year-old now leads the standings with back-to-back victories in Oslo.
The tournament has already delivered several dramatic contests, with Indian players remaining firmly in the spotlight. Earlier, Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh had both secured Armageddon wins in Round 1, while Divya shocked women’s world champion Ju Wenjun on her Norway Chess debut.
With several rounds still remaining, the Indian contingent will look to bounce back strongly in one of the world’s most competitive chess events.
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