27 May 2026 Punjab Khabarnama Bureau : Alireza Firouzja defeated R Praggnanandhaa in Round 2 of Norway Chess 2026, while reigning world champion D Gukesh suffered a defeat against Wesley So in a difficult day for the Indian contingent.
Firouzja continued his impressive form by registering a 3-0 classical victory over Praggnanandhaa, extending his lead in the tournament standings with a second consecutive classical win. The French grandmaster had already shocked Magnus Carlsen in the opening round and now strengthened his position at the top.
Praggnanandhaa, who had earlier defeated Wesley So in an Armageddon game during Round 1, struggled to recover after Firouzja gained positional control in the middle game. Analysts described Firouzja’s performance as highly precise and aggressive.
Meanwhile, Gukesh lost to Wesley So after failing to capitalize on opportunities in their encounter. Reports indicated that the game went into Armageddon after a drawn classical battle before So eventually emerged victorious.
The result marked a setback for Gukesh after his strong start in the tournament opener, where he had won an Armageddon thriller against Vincent Keymer.
Norway Chess 2026 has already produced several dramatic results in its opening rounds, including Firouzja’s stunning classical win over Magnus Carlsen despite reportedly dealing with an ankle injury.
In the women’s section, Divya Deshmukh defeated Koneru Humpy in an Armageddon tie-break during an all-Indian clash.
The tournament, being held in Oslo, features some of the world’s top chess stars and continues to attract major attention because of its unique scoring system and Armageddon format.
Indian fans are now hoping Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh can bounce back strongly in the upcoming rounds as the competition intensifies further.