Norway Chess: D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa Claim Big Losses

D Gukesh ran out of steam and surrendered to Wesley So in Armageddon after failing to convert his classical promise, while red-hot Frenchman Alireza Firouzja tore past R Praggnanandhaa to storm to the top on a bruising second day for the Indians at Norway Chess in Oslo. Defending champion Magnus Carlsen was pushed to the brink yet again by German sensation Vincent Keymer before the seven-time champion finally escaped with an Armageddon victory, clawing his way to his first points of the tournament after another fierce battle.

Despite the disappointing second-round Armageddon result, Gukesh stayed joint second with So on 2.5 points, while the rampant Firouzja opened up a commanding lead with six points after back-to-back wins.

Praggnanandhaa and Carlsen, meanwhile, languished at the bottom with 1.5 points each in the prestigious event.

To make matters worse for Gukesh, who will turn 20 in a couple of days, So bluntly remarked after the game that he was "not quite sure" the Indian was as strong as his rating suggested.

Gukesh, visibly shaken by the Armageddon defeat, tried to put up a brave face during his mandatory broadcast duties, but the frustration was hard to miss when he walked away with anger and disappointment written all over his face.

In the marathon classical battle lasting 116 moves, it was Gukesh who did most of the pressing and appeared to be cruising towards the winning line before So somehow escaped with a draw.

The American then completely outplayed the Indian in Armageddon, claiming 1.5 points to Gukesh's one and handing the world champion a crushing disappointment.

Praggnanandhaa appeared to be following a promising winning path against Firouzja early on, but the battered Frenchman -- hobbling around in a moon boot, wheeled in by his second and clutching crutches because of a badly injured ankle -- once again showed remarkable grit and class to turn the game around and beat the Indian with surprising ease.

The Frenchman later said, "I'm trying to play chess. I have a lot of pain, but it's something that keeps me focused -- it makes me not think about pain." In a roller-coaster contest filled with momentum swings, Carlsen was stretched to the limit by gritty 21-year-old Keymer.

The Norwegian twice let winning positions slip, draining the magic from his game, but after quickly regrouping following the draw, Carlsen returned in Armageddon to finally open his account in the tournament.

Divya Deshmukh loving it

In the women's competition, the vivacious Divya Deshmukh appears to be thoroughly enjoying her maiden Norway Chess adventure.

On Tuesday, much like her memorable win over two-time world rapid champion Koneru Humpy at last year's Women's World Cup, she once again got the better of the Indian veteran in Armageddon, clinching another morale-boosting victory to climb into joint second with three points.

Kazakhstan's Bibisara Assaubayeva, meanwhile, continued her dream run at the top with 4.5 points.

"I'm having a lot of fun with the Armageddon games here -- I love them. I'm actually enjoying the classical games too because there's no increment. It's my first time at Norway Chess, so it's been really exciting," said Divya, whose carefree approach continues to light up the tournament.

She even made a couple of visits to the 'Confession Room' -- a Norway Chess innovation introduced in 2015 -- something that the other Indian players have largely avoided over the years, seemingly wary of revealing their thoughts mid-game.

A confession room is a private, soundproof booth placed near the playing hall where players can briefly step away during a game to share candid, unfiltered thoughts into a live camera and microphone, offering viewers a rare glimpse into their mindset and emotions in the middle of battle.

"I think it helps me because when I go there, I can talk about what is going on in my mind and it helps me to calculate better," Divya said.

Tournament leader Bibisara continued her dream start here, defeating Zhu Jiner in Armageddon after a tense and tactical classical battle.

The Kazakh star once again thrived under pressure in the faster format to pocket the extra points and tighten her grip on the top spot.

Defending champion Anna Muzychuk overcame reigning women's world champion Ju Wenjun in Armageddon to cap another dramatic day of high-stakes battles.

Round 2: Open - 1. Alireza Firouzja (Fra) 6, Wesley So 2.5, D Gukesh 2.5, Magnus Carlsen 1.5, R Praggnanandhaa 1.5. Women - Bibisara Assaubayeva 4.5, Divya Deshmukh 3, Anna Muzychuk 2.5, Zhu Jiner 2.5, Ju Wenjun 2, Koneru Humpy 1. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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