Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:40am on 05 Jun 2026,Friday Sports
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa strengthened his Norway Chess 2026 title challenge by defeating reigning World Champion D Gukesh in Round 9, securing a third consecutive classical victory and climbing to second place with 15 points. The 20-year-old now trails tournament leader Wesley So by just half a point. After earlier defeats to Gukesh and So, Praggnanandhaa staged a remarkable comeback, registering consecutive wins against Magnus Carlsen, Alireza Firouzja and Gukesh. He credited improved time management and calculation for his resurgence. With So, Firouzja and Praggnanandhaa separated by narrow margins, the title race heads into a dramatic finish. Bibisara Assaubayeva clinched the women's title.
