OSLO, Jun 3: Fresh off his second win over Magnus Carlsen in the tournament, a relaxed R Praggnanandhaa said he was delighted to remain firmly in the title race as Norway Chess heads into its decisive final two rounds after the rest day here.
With the crown well within reach, the Indian Grandmaster said he was relishing the opportunity to fight for the title in the elite six-player field.
Next up is a blockbuster all-Indian clash against reigning world champion D Gukesh, whose title hopes have all but faded as he sits at the bottom of the standings.
Yet, with little to lose, Gukesh will be eager to finish strongly — and there would be no bigger statement than denying Praggnanandhaa a crucial result in Round 9.
As things stand in the Open section, Praggnanandhaa sits on 12 points, just two behind leader Wesley So, who tops the standings with 14.
French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja remains in the hunt on 13 points despite battling an ankle injury that has left him confined to a wheelchair, with his foot heavily plastered and strapped into a moon boot.
A classical victory over Gukesh, coupled with setbacks for So and Firouzja, could propel Praggnanandhaa to the top of the standings. But the Chennai Grandmaster insisted there would be no easy path despite the momentum from his stunning success against Carlsen, whose own title hopes were effectively extinguished after suffering a second classical defeat to the Indian on Tuesday.
“I think everyone is strong here, it’s not just about Magnus. There is also like other strong players. So, you have to do well against everyone. And, I didn’t have some good moments early in the tournament, I missed some chances,” said Praggnanandhaa, as he spent the rest day relaxing at his hotel, finally taking time to savour his twin victories over the world No. 1 in the tournament.
“I’m happy that I still have a shot at it (title). Yeah, I’m happy to be in the race. Every game is important from here, and yeah, I’m happy that yesterday went well. But that (win against Carlsen) doesn’t really mean anything. I still have to give my best in the next two games. So, that’s what I’m looking forward to,’ the young GM said in a matter-of-fact tone.
The other Round 9 clashes pit Wesley So against Carlsen and Vincent Keymer against Alireza. Keymer, on 10 points, still retains an outside chance of entering the title equation, though he would need a favourable combination of results to stay alive in the race.
The So-Carlsen encounter could have a major bearing on Praggnanandhaa’s title prospects.
A loss for the American leader would significantly dent his hopes and potentially open the door for the Indian Grandmaster to make a decisive move in the standings heading into the final round.
In the Norway Chess Women tournament, young Indian Divya Deshmukh has kept her title hopes alive, albeit by the slimmest of margins.
Kazakhstan’s reigning world blitz champion Bibisara Assaubayeva has surged clear of the field on 15.5 points, while Divya is tied for third on 10 points alongside China’s Zhu Jiner.
Reigning champion Anna Muzychuk, on 10.5 points, remains mathematically in contention, but the gulf separating her from the runaway leader has left her title hopes hanging by a thread.
Assaubayeva’s dominant run has made one of the strongest women’s fields in the world look surprisingly ordinary. The Kazakhstan star has towered over a line-up featuring five-time world champion Ju Wenjun, two-time world rapid champion Koneru Humpy — currently rooted to the bottom on eight points — and Divya, the reigning Women’s World Cup winner, underlining the sheer authority of her campaign.
Pairings (Round 9):
Open: Vincent Keymer (GER, 10) vs Alireza Firouzja (FRA, 13); Wesley So (USA, 14) vs Magnus Carlsen (NOR, 9); R Praggnanandhaa (IND, 12) vs D Gukesh (IND, 8).
Women: Divya Deshmukh (IND, 10) vs Zhu Jiner (CHN, 10); Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ, 15.5) vs Anna Muzychuk (UKR, 10.5); Koneru Humpy (IND, 8) vs Ju Wenjun (CHN, 9). (PTI)
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