New Delhi: This year, Norwegian chess returned to the capital Oslo for the first time, after 13 consecutive years in Stavanger. In another change, it won’t be a global number. 1 and five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen’s only classical appearance of the season as the Norwegian king has already played, and indeed won, the TePe Sigeman Chess Tournament in Malmö, Sweden earlier this month.However, for fans of the reigning world chess champion, this will surely be one of the last times you’ll see de Gokesh compete in a tough classical format before he defends his world championship against Uzbek grandmaster Javakhir Sundarov in late November this year.Ever since last year’s viral table banging incident against Carlsen’s Gokash, Norwegian chess has caught the eye of outsiders. Administrators freely acknowledge the impact. Magnus’ sudden anger became such an overnight trend that everyone from Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan to social media influencer Nick Wilkins rushed to recreate the act in their own capacity.Will 2026 do something similarly explosive? Time will tell. But with a grueling double-round-robin format spanning 12 days (including two rest days) running from May 25 to June 6, fans can expect mouth-watering clashes. That said, India’s focus will be on these stories:
Where Gakesh has to work before the title clash.
On the last day of this past March, Gokesh, who will turn 20 on May 29, dropped a social media post that many did not anticipate. Writing on X (formerly Twitter), he announced that he would “skip long programs away from home to allow for more dedicated training time”.To put this in perspective, Gokesh’s last classical outing was the Prague Masters earlier this year in February. Prior to this, he participated in the prestigious Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk on Zee.The youngster struggled mightily in both classical events, finishing second-to-last (8th) in Prague and a disappointing 9th in a field of 14 players in Wijk on Zee.Even in recent smaller formats, the spark is missing, barring a few flashes of brilliance. That poor run has fueled a growing group of skeptics that he could lose his world crown in November. Magnus Carlsen himself stirred the pot in April, saying:
All eyes on de Gukesh (Photo by Michal Walusza/Norway Chess)
“First of all, I really want to know what Sandroof can do in the next few months because he is very different from Gokesh. In the sense that Gokesh has very obvious weaknesses when it comes to his understanding and Sandroof doesn’t. He’s much more well-rounded.”Carlson will sit across the board from Gokesh twice in the next fortnight, providing the perfect canvas for a muted response from the Indians. But what if he doesn’t?Five-time world champion Viswanathan AnandSpeaking to Lichess, said, “Having been through something similar, I would say (to Gokesh) just ignore it. And if you’re unable to ignore it, if it bugs you on some level, accept that it’s normal. No one promised you perfect happiness.“And even as a world champion, your life doesn’t have to be like that… nobody owes you everything to be perfect or smooth. It’s going to be rough. Everyone’s going to look at you differently and everyone secretly wants your title.”If Gokesh can’t turn the tide in Oslo, his team will have plenty of tactical overhaul ahead of November.
Duya Deshmukh : Norway’s youngest female chess competitor
Last year, Divya Deshmukh emerged as one of the most dynamic sports stories in the country. Following her stunning victory at the FIDE Women’s World Cup, her growing talent and widespread popularity, being one of only two female players to brave the 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss Open, made her the perfect candidate for Norwegian Chess to be invited to Oslo.At just 20 years of age, she now stands as the youngest ever participant in Norwegian Chess Women, which offers a prize fund equivalent to 1,690,000 NOK (Norwegian kroner) especially for the open section.However, getting quality chess out of her mind is more on Divya’s agenda than financial loss.
Divya Deshmukh is Norway’s youngest female chess player (Photo by Michal Walusza/Norway Chess)
She endured tough competition at the Women’s Candidates tournament in Cyprus, finishing second to last while compatriot R Vaishali took the crown. Despite her relative inexperience at this elite level and this being her first candidate, the frustration in Divya’s camp was palpable.There were no interviews after the tournament and no social media updates on his profile as the silence continued for weeks.No interviews, no social media posts about his experience in Cyprus. The silence lasted for weeks before arriving in Oslo, smiling and ready to go again. Life is about ups and downs, and Divya knows it. Overcoming adversity with a smile is what defines a champion. She will soon want to feel it too.
back for Koniro Hampi
Koniro Hampi became FIDE’s sole cause and organizers of the women’s candidates were left scratching their heads just days before their flagship event. Citing rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, the legendary Indian grandmaster pulled out of the tournament, forcing organizers to draft in Anna Muzyczak, the defending women’s chess champion from Norway who has returned to Oslo to defend her crown.
The women’s line-up at the tournament (Photo by Michal Walusza/Norway Chess)
Hampi is adamant about his decision. Speaking to The Times of India recently, he explained:“It’s more important that when I play a tournament, I have to love the game. When I’m traveling somewhere, I shouldn’t feel like I’m putting pressure on my family or my loved ones. I don’t regret not playing in this tournament because things were completely different when I withdrew.”Hampi may not regret dropping the candidates, but Indian fans definitely missed out on his signature craft.She will be back on board tonight in Norway. The silver lining? Months spent preparing candidates without the fatigue of an actual tournament can pay big dividends in the next couple of weeks.
Chess seeks Praganananda’s redemption.
Going into the open field of candidates, R Praganandha was India’s premier hopeful. However, those hopes were soon dashed, with Uzbek specialist Sandrov bulldozing the field.In the larger context, Praganandha, like Gokesh, has failed to make his stride in recent events. Since mid-2025, his performances in major tournaments have failed to garner his usual acclaim.
Vibhu Suri, Praganananda, Vincent Kemmer, and Gokesh (photo by Mikael Valoza Norway Chess)
Despite this, her older sister Vaishali’s winning narrative in the women’s candidates ranged from “Prague the world beater” to “supportive bhai Praga”, shielding her individual technical faults from scrutiny.Along with his trusted second, Vaibhav Suri, Praganandha must have prepared rigorously for this elite arena.The whole world will be watching the events in Norway. It is time to get rid of Pragananda for world and Indian chess.
Who do you think will emerge as the top player in the Norwegian women’s chess category?
Is Indian glory too much to ask for?
Looking at a star-studded field in 2026 with Carlsen and Vincent Kemmer in superb form, and a recent dip in the form of the Indian contingent, placing your bets squarely on an Indian victory in the Open category would be an incredibly risky venture.However, the beauty of the double-round-robin format lies in its volatility, and luck can turn a single mistake. While the open field seems like an uphill climb, keep a laser-sharp focus on the women’s draw. Konero Hampi is a veteran in this space, and it will not surprise anyone if the veteran spends the next fortnight getting out of the field.
