Round seven of the Norway Chess 2026 tournament delivered intense drama in Oslo, featuring a decisive classical result and two tense Armageddon battles. The highlight of Tuesday's action came when Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu defeated Alireza Firouzja in classical chess.
Praggnanandhaa's Crucial Victory
The Indian grandmaster outplayed Firouzja in a prolonged struggle, converting his advantage with confident technique to secure a vital win. This result tightens the race at the top of the standings and hands Firouzja his second classical defeat of the tournament.
Carlsen and Keymer Battle
World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and Vincent Keymer played a hard-fought classical draw. Carlsen later prevailed in the Armageddon game to earn the extra points, keeping him within striking distance of the leaders.
So vs. Gukesh
The remaining game between World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju and Wesley So also ended in a draw after a tense battle. Gukesh won the Armageddon game, collecting additional points.
Standings After Round Seven
Wesley So continues to lead the tournament with 12.5 points. Firouzja is second with 10 points, while Carlsen, Keymer, and Rameshbabu are all close behind with nine points each.
Norway Chess Women
Bibisara Assaubayeva produced the biggest result of the day in the women's section, scoring a classical victory to extend her lead. Facing Zhu Jiner with the white pieces, Assaubayeva took control after a difficult middle game and converted her advantage confidently. The full three points give the Kazakh grandmaster a significant boost as the tournament enters its final stretch.
Other Women's Results
Humpy Koneru and Divya Deshmukh ended in a draw after a tense classical game. Divya then won the Armageddon game with black pieces, securing extra points and strengthening her position as Assaubayeva's closest challenger. Reigning Women's World Champion Ju Wenjun and Anna Muzychuk also drew in classical chess. Muzychuk later won in Armageddon, earning important points and staying firmly in the race near the top.
Women's Standings
After round seven, Assaubayeva leads with 12.5 points, Deshmukh is second with 10, and Muzychuk third with 9.5.
