NEW DELHI: The final round of Norway Chess 2026 promises plenty of drama, with the race for the title still wide open. While Wesley So, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, and Alireza Firouzja remain locked in a fierce battle for the championship, reigning World Champion D Gukesh faces a very different challenge, avoiding a last-place finish in the prestigious tournament.Heading into Friday’s concluding round in Oslo, Gukesh sits at the bottom of the standings with eight points. Just above him is World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen on 10 points after an unusually inconsistent campaign by the Norwegian star. The equation for Gukesh is straightforward but difficult: he must defeat Carlsen in their classical game to move ahead of him in the standings and escape last place. It will be Black for Gukesh, and White for the local boy.The 20-year-old Indian grandmaster’s troubles deepened in Round 9 when he suffered a classical defeat to compatriot Praggnanandhaa. Playing with the white pieces, Gukesh came under sustained pressure in a complex middlegame. Praggnanandhaa gradually seized the initiative and converted his advantage with impressive precision, earning three crucial points.That victory lifted Praggnanandhaa to 15 points, placing him firmly in contention for the title. Tournament leader Wesley So remains narrowly ahead on 15.5 points after drawing his classical encounter against Magnus Carlsen before winning the Armageddon game to secure bonus points.Alireza Firouzja is also firmly in the hunt. The French grandmaster survived a difficult classical game against Vincent Keymer and later triumphed in Armageddon, taking his tally to 14.5 points and keeping his championship hopes alive.ALSO READ: Norway Chess 2026 Full Round 9 Report Meanwhile, the women’s event has already been decided. Bibisara Assaubayeva sealed the Norway Chess Women 2026 crown with a round to spare. Her draw against Anna Muzychuk, followed by Muzychuk’s Armageddon victory, was enough to mathematically guarantee first place.As attention shifts to the final day, the spotlight will be on both ends of the leaderboard. While three players battle for the trophy, Gukesh faces a must-win showdown against Carlsen to avoid ending the tournament on a disappointing note.
