Praggnanandhaa clinches Norway Chess 2026 title with final round win

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Norway Chess 2026 ended dramatically in Oslo as Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa secured the title with a crucial final-round victory, while Bibisara Assaubayeva won the women’s competition.

OSLO: Norway Chess 2026 concluded on a thrilling note on Friday as Indian grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa produced a decisive classical victory in the final round to claim one of the biggest titles of his career. Entering the last day half a point behind tournament leader Wesley So, Praggnanandhaa needed a strong result and delivered under pressure.

Playing with the white pieces against Vincent Keymer, the Indian star seized his opportunity and converted his advantage into a full classical win. The result earned him three points and lifted his overall tally to 18 points, enough to move ahead of the field and secure first place in the prestigious event.

Wesley So, who started the day at the top of the standings, faced Alireza Firouzja in a closely contested encounter. Their classical game ended in a draw after a balanced battle. So later emerged victorious in the Armageddon game to collect additional points, but the outcome was not enough to retain the title. He finished second on 17 points, while Firouzja secured third place with 15.5 points.

Elsewhere, World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen ended his campaign on a high by defeating reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju in classical chess. The Norwegian continued pressing throughout a lengthy contest and closed his tournament with an impressive victory in front of home fans.

The women’s event also delivered a memorable finish. Bibisara Assaubayeva had already secured the Norway Chess 2026 Women title before the final round, and despite losing to Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun on the last day, she remained comfortably ahead in the standings.

Zhu Jiner claimed second place after defeating Humpy Koneru, finishing just half a point behind the champion. Anna Muzychuk secured third place with a classical victory over Divya Deshmukh. With standout performances across both events, Norway Chess 2026 once again showcased elite competition at the highest level.

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