R Praggnanandhaa and reigning World Champion D Gukesh opened their Norway Chess 2026 campaigns in Oslo on 26 May with hard-fought Armageddon victories, while Divya Deshmukh delivered the standout result in the women's section by defeating Women's World Champion Ju Wenjun in the tiebreak. The tournament's opening round was defined by drama, upsets, and a rare classical loss for Magnus Carlsen on home soil.

Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh Open with Armageddon Wins

Praggnanandhaa and Wesley So played out a balanced classical game that ended in a draw after a tense contest. The Indian Grandmaster shifted gears decisively in the Armageddon decider, producing a sharp, aggressive performance to secure the bonus points.

Gukesh faced a stiffer test against Germany's Vincent Keymer, who outplayed the world champion in the endgame and appeared set for an outright classical win. Gukesh showed remarkable defensive resilience to hold the draw, then carried that momentum into Armageddon, turning the tables to clinch the tiebreak.

Firouzja Hands Carlsen a Rare Home Defeat

The defining result of the day came in the open section, where Alireza Firouzja defeated World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in classical chess — the only classical win in the open section on the day. Carlsen appeared in control for much of the game, but severe time trouble led to a costly mistake that the French Grandmaster punished with clinical precision. The result hands Firouzja the early lead in the tournament standings.

This is a notable moment: Carlsen, competing on home soil in Oslo, has historically dominated Norway Chess, and a first-round classical defeat marks an unusual start to his campaign.

Divya Deshmukh Stuns Ju Wenjun in Women's Section

In the women's tournament, Divya Deshmukh held reigning Women's World Champion Ju Wenjun to a draw in classical play despite the latter pressing for a win. Divya then delivered a confident Armageddon performance to claim the tiebreak victory — arguably the most impressive individual result from the Indian contingent on the opening day.

Bibisara Assaubayeva produced the other standout result in the women's section, defeating Indian No. 1 Koneru Humpy in classical chess. The Kazakh player handled middlegame complications confidently before converting her advantage with precision, placing her atop the women's standings after Round 1.

Other Women's Section Results

Anna Muzychuk and Zhu Jiner drew their classical encounter, with Zhu emerging victorious in the subsequent Armageddon to claim the additional points.

Standings After Round 1

In the open section, Firouzja leads after registering the sole classical win of the day. In the women's standings, Assaubayeva sits at the top following her classical victory over Humpy. The Indian trio of Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh, and Divya are all on Armageddon-win points, keeping them firmly in contention as the tournament progresses.