GM Alireza Firouzja scored the day’s solely classical win, over GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, to open up a 3.5-point lead in Norway Chess 2026 with an ideal 6/6. GM Magnus Carlsen beat GM Vincent Keymer in armageddon, however that was little comfort for an enormous miss in a chaotic classical sport that might even have gone the way in which of the German star. World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju compelled GM Wesley So right into a queen sac however spoiled a win and misplaced in armageddon.
GM Bibisara Assaubayeva continues to steer Norway Chess Girls 2026 after drawing a rollercoaster classical sport in opposition to GM Zhu Jiner and profitable the armageddon tiebreaker. Each different mini-matches went to armageddon as properly, with GM Divya Deshmukh beating GM Koneru Humpy to land 1.5 factors behind the chief, and GM Anna Muzychuk recovering from yesterday’s armageddon loss with a win over Girls’s World Champion Ju Wenjun.
Spherical three begins Wednesday, Could 27, at 11 a.m. ET / 17:00 CEST / 8:30 p.m. IST.
Firouzja’s second win in a row earned the one three factors for a classical win in spherical two, with Carlsen, So, Assaubayeva, Muzychuk, and Divya scoring 1.5 factors to their opponents’ single level after profitable in armageddon.
Norway Chess Spherical 2 Outcomes
Firouzja is assured to be the only real chief after spherical three as properly after opening up a 3.5-point lead over So and Gukesh, whereas Assaubayeva leads Divya by 1.5 factors however might be caught in a single spherical by 4 of the remaining gamers.
Norway Chess Standings After Spherical 2
Norway Chess Spherical 2: Firouzja Leads As Rivals Undergo
Because the time management approached it appeared all three classical video games would finish decisively, however in the long run it was solely Firouzja who clinched a massively necessary classical win.
Firouzja 3-0 Praggnanandhaa
Firouzja had credited his round-one win over Carlsen to some nice preparation by his second GM Ivan Cheparinov, however he laughed away the suggestion that preparation was behind the round-two win: “Not at this time, for certain! It was a good sport, however I don’t assume the opening was one thing particular.”
The truth is in some unspecified time in the future it appeared Praggnanandhaa may take over, however he misplaced his approach, traded down into a foul endgame, and was easily dispatched by Firouzja. That is our Recreation of the Day, which GM Rafael Leitao analyzes under.
It was instructed to Firouzja that he was really being boosted by having to play with an ankle harm. He responded, “I don’t know if it’s a lift, however I’m making an attempt to play chess. I’ve loads of ache, however it’s one thing that retains me centered—it makes me not take into consideration ache.”
I am making an attempt to play chess. I’ve loads of ache, however it’s one thing that retains me centered—it makes me not take into consideration ache.
—Alireza Firouzja
Firouzja actually appeared to have discovered internal calm whereas his rivals have been seeing video games slip out of their management.
Firouzja chilling throughout Spherical 2! #NorwayChess pic.twitter.com/Cp4pyCFMJR
— chess24 (@chess24com) Could 26, 2026
Firouzja is again within the high 10 on the dwell score listing after undoing a lot of the harm performed by three losses in Bucharest.
As soon as once more, it will be a more durable day for the world champion and the world number-one.
Carlsen 1.5-1 Keymer
One of the best participant in chess is arguably Carlsen after a loss the day earlier than, and there was no query he was going to go all-out to beat Keymer in classical chess. An enthralling wrestle developed, stuffed with unpredictable twists and weird concepts.
All of it started within the opening, when 9…a4 by Keymer was a brand new transfer, enhancing on the 9…g6 Gukesh had used on the way in which to beating Carlsen in fast chess in Zagreb in 2025—a memorable sport that sparked questions over whether or not the Carlsen period was over. Spoiler alert, it wasn’t, however again in Oslo it was one other sport that Carlsen had on his thoughts, Keymer’s win over GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in Bucharest.
Magnus: “This concept is impressed by the person himself, Vincent Keymer, and his sport in opposition to Maxime from Bucharest final week, the place in a Sicilian he maneuvered his knight to h3, and as he stated himself, it stopped all of the play on that file. I am making an attempt to do the identical…”#NorwayChess pic.twitter.com/e5Y4AFpE13
— chess24 (@chess24com) Could 26, 2026
Carlsen put the knight on a3 as an alternative of h3, however that was removed from the tip of the story, because it then set off on a journey to a7.
At this level, the commentators could not assist however see the parallels to a well-known sport by twelfth World Champion Anatoly Karpov.
Karpov had used the minor piece on a7 to clamp down on Black’s queenside whereas launching a profitable assault on the opposite aspect of the board, however Carlsen as an alternative discovered himself coming underneath assault, with Keymer’s h-pawn sowing confusion. The truth is 25…h3! would have given Black a major edge, and Carlsen realized it, which was why he was very pleased to see 25…Qf6?! and be capable of play 26.h3 himself.
That second inspired Carlsen to inform a dad joke within the confessional.
Magnus: “I believe like a cow that is ashamed of its physique this sport is simply an udder embarrassment! I really feel like each transfer we’re making is a few type of positional mistake…”#NorwayChess pic.twitter.com/Kiz5EV4OX4
— chess24 (@chess24com) Could 26, 2026
Little did he know, nevertheless, that the “udder embarrassment” and errors have been solely starting, with big swings forward.
What appeared more likely to be the most important second was on transfer 31, when Carlsen had realized that 31…Ne6! was really robust for Black—he thought it was in all probability a draw, however the pc provides it as near profitable for Keymer. As an alternative 31…Ne8? was performed.
“31…Ne8 shocked me, that was only a blunder, after which I ought to after all win the sport,” stated Carlsen, however as an alternative he twice blundered away his benefit, with Keymer pouncing on the second probability to change queens right into a drawish endgame. For as soon as, Carlsen could not weave any magic and the sport fizzled out right into a draw.
It will take some processing.
Carlsen processing his missed win vs. Keymer!#NorwayChess pic.twitter.com/JgelJOifEj
— chess24 (@chess24com) Could 26, 2026
Carlsen stated of getting to play armageddon: “It’s just a bit bit demotivating at that time, however you’ve obtained to attempt to do your greatest, and if I get the sport going in some unspecified time in the future within the event then an additional half level may matter.”
Carlsen, with White, had 10 minutes to Keymer’s seven, however needed to win on demand. This time he did, with the selection of going for a roughly equal endgame paying off when the German number-one blundered with 30…c3?.
The remaining match of spherical two was additionally eventful.
So 1.5-1 Gukesh
Wesley So stated in a post-game interview, “To begin with, it’s a fantastic honor to play in opposition to the World Champion Gukesh, who’s extremely robust, extremely younger,” although shortly afterward he added, “I’m undecided how good he’s, to be sincere—perhaps he’s a lot higher-rated than his score must be in the intervening time.”
It wasn’t clear if he meant to say the alternative, however in any case, it was Gukesh who was urgent within the classical sport, with So admitting, “it obtained actual scary, actual fast” of his opponent’s bold play. Gukesh was very near profitable, however it was by no means simple, with the purpose illustrated by So confessing that he’d merely blundered his bishop close to the tip, solely to seek out that White holds with solely strikes.
In some methods 116 strikes was brief in comparison with the 144-move draw Gukesh had made in classical chess the day earlier than, however this time he’d endure in armageddon.
So gained the opening battle, and summed up with, “I believe I didn’t give him that many probabilities, and in addition his time administration was very poor.” That was a good evaluation, although 21.Nf6? did doubtlessly enable Gukesh to take over and get the draw he wanted.
It was tough, nevertheless, and Gukesh was 4 minutes behind on the clock, in order that it proved solely a short diversion on the trail to a win for So.
“The armageddon went very easily, the classical must be improved!” is how So summarized his day on the library.
Norway Chess Girls Spherical 2: Assaubayeva Continues To Lead After Shut Name
Zhu 1-1.5 Assaubayeva
Of all three attracts within the classical portion, the encounter between Zhu and Assaubayeva featured the clearest missed probabilities. Zhu gained a crushing and decisive benefit with the white items, then misplaced management, and eventually Assaubayeva missed a win herself on the finish. The brawl surprisingly resulted in a draw.
After the modest 4.e3 from Zhu, Assaubayeva performed for an improved model of the Benoni Protection. Because the commentators joked on the Chess24 channel, nevertheless, even a very good Benoni remains to be a Benoni. For a very long time, Zhu performed the area benefit exactly, and eventually nursed it to a profitable benefit.
If we are able to level to at least one clear mistake, it was White’s 33.Rad1?. Beginning with 34…Bh6!, Assaubayeva wriggled out, and after a queen commerce she was abruptly higher. Later, 53…Nxc4 would have been a direct win, however after Assaubayeva missed that, with some poetic justice, the sport resulted in a draw. Each gamers missed, however each additionally survived.
The armageddon sport was much more chaotic. Assaubayeva, who gained it in the long run, stated, “I simply blundered all the pieces that I can. First a chunk, then a rook.” She identified that she was nonetheless upset about lacking a win within the classical sport when she began the tiebreaker, and in addition that she hasn’t performed an armageddon sport in three years.
27…Re7? allowed a one-move skewer, however because the Kazakh grandmaster stated, “I used to be fortunate that the place was sharp.” In actually miraculous vogue, she fought her approach again into the sport to win—with one rook much less—although within the time scramble there have been probabilities for each side alongside the way in which.
Assaubayeva stays 1.5 factors forward of the sphere, however Divya is now her closest chaser.
Divya 1.5-1 Humpy
Divya’s 2.d3, adopted by the aggressive 4.g4, signaled early on that this is perhaps probably the most fascinating opening debates of the day. In a confession in the course of the sport, she stated that Humpy’s 7…Ng8 (a brand new transfer) was in her file, however that she could not keep in mind what to do. It was a transfer she did not spend sufficient time on earlier than the sport, however in hindsight thought was a really human response.
She stated afterward, “I attempted out an fascinating opening, however okay, objectively not fairly unhealthy however just a little unhealthy for White… I did not actually have something in the long run and he or she was the one pushing.”
She ditched 2.d3 within the armageddon that adopted, and as an alternative we obtained the 4 Knights. Humpy equalized the opening comfortably, however Divya pointed to 18…dxe4? as the primary mistake, and the engine agrees. Regardless of White’s doubled pawns trying ugly, Black’s weaknesses on the queenside (c6 and a5) have been in truth a lot weaker.
There’s additionally the matter of mangos. Did she get to snack on them in spherical two, after lacking the possibility in spherical one? “I believe it is there, however I did not eat it at this time,” she stated after laughing. “I used to be fairly busy within the sport!”
Muzychuk 1.5-1 Ju
Getting back from an armageddon loss within the first spherical, Muzychuk made a stable draw within the classical sport. Tania known as it a “non-game,” as Muzychuk performed a risk-free opening that was additionally freed from any profitable probabilities. No draw is allowed earlier than transfer 30, and the sport ended on transfer 31.
“It was type of my technique to have a peaceful classical sport after which to attempt to play extra actively within the armageddon,” stated Muzychuk, who added that she wasn’t ready to kill the sport in all strains. But when she did not have an thought for a bonus, security was the precedence.
Ju repeated the identical protection within the armageddon, however this time round Muzychuk—in a must-win state of affairs—went for the doubtful 5.Nxe5, a transfer she stated she reserved for quicker time controls. In a spiraling time scramble, Muzychuk sacrificed a chunk with 27.Nxd6!? and was rewarded for her bravery. The sport ended with a checkmate on the board.
“As a spectator, you get loads of pleasure, however as a participant, it is loopy!” stated Muzychuk after the sport. Ju, who’s 2.5 factors behind the chief, can doubtlessly make that up with a single classical win. She stated, “I may have performed higher, however it’s armageddon, so it occurs.”
As a spectator, you get loads of pleasure, however as a participant, it is loopy!
—Anna Muzychuk
After beginning with two Whites, Firouzja is Black vs. Gukesh in spherical three, whereas Praggnanandhaa-Carlsen is, unexpectedly, a battle between the 2 gamers in final place.
Assaubayeva will face her closest rival, Divya—and he or she has the white items. On the opposite two Girls’s boards, nevertheless, it takes a single classical win to make an enormous leap on the scoreboard. Something remains to be attainable.
NM Anthony Levin contributed to this report.
The way to watch?
Norway Chess 2026 options Open and Girls’s six-player tournaments for equal prize funds of 1,690,000 NOK (~$182k). It runs Could 25 to June 5 in Oslo, with gamers dealing with their opponents twice at classical chess (120 minutes/40 strikes, with a 10-second increment from transfer 41). The winner of a classical sport will get three factors, the loser, zero; after a draw, the gamers get one level and combat for an additional half-point in armageddon (10 minutes for White, seven for Black, who has draw odds).
Earlier protection:
