Oslo, May 31: A day after turning 20, D Gukesh rediscovered both his spark and his smile, defeating compatriot R Praggnanandhaa in a gripping classical battle to pocket three full points and reignite his campaign in Norway Chess here.
Reigning champion Magnus Carlsen’s woes deepened as he lost to American Grandmaster Wesley So, leaving the world No. 1 at the bottom of the six-player standings after five rounds.
The victory lifted So to second place on 8.5 points, behind tournament leader Alireza Firouzja, who maintained his grip on the top spot with 10 points and has so far dominated the field.
For Gukesh, now on 6.5 points and in sole third place, the victory seemed to breathe life back into the venue.
Fans, who had packed the arena, flocked around the world champion for autographs, selfies and photographs, while Gukesh himself appeared far more relaxed after a difficult few days in which he had often slipped quietly out of the playing hall following disappointing results.
Praggnanandhaa, on six points, remained fourth, while German Grandmaster Vincent Keymer was fifth on five points. Carlsen, meanwhile, found himself in the unfamiliar position of last place with 4.5 points.
For Gukesh, another classical victory in Round 6 and a Firouzja loss could put him within striking distance of the lead. By toppling Carlsen, So kept the title race alive – another such win would make him the only player capable of drawing level with the leader.
Divya Deshmukh leads women’s section
After a day spent on a speedboat, young Indian women’s World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh brought the same pace to the board, outplaying China’s Zhu Jiner in a classical game to claim three points and surge to the top of the six-player standings for the first time on 8.5 points.
Divya appeared to be on the back foot after Zhu introduced a fresh idea in the opening, but the game soon veered into uncharted territory.
With both players eventually scrambling on the 10-second increment, Divya’s relentless pressure paid off, culminating in a hard-earned 84-move victory that propelled her into sole lead. (PTI)
