Oslo: D Gukesh has reignited his campaign in Norway Chess after defeating compatriot R Praggnanandhaa in a gripping classical battle. The victory lifted Gukesh to 6.5 points and third place, while Divya Deshmukh stormed to the top of the women's section with 8.5 points.
Magnus Carlsen's woes deepened as he lost to American Grandmaster Wesley So, leaving the world No. 1 at the bottom of the six-player standings after five rounds. Alireza Firouzja maintained his grip on the top spot with 10 points.
Gukesh's victory was a roller-coaster, with momentum swinging repeatedly between the two players. He remained unfazed, even making his first visit to the confessional booth and displaying little concern about his position.
Divya Deshmukh brought the same pace to the board, outplaying China's Zhu Jiner in a classical game to claim three points and surge to the top of the women's section. She appeared to be on the back foot after Zhu introduced a fresh idea in the opening, but the game soon veered into uncharted territory.
