New Delhi: The final round of Norway Chess 2026 promises plenty of drama, with the title race still open. While Wesley Soo, Praganananda Ramesh Babu, and Alireza Ferozja are locked in a tight battle for the championship, world champion D Gokesh faces a very different challenge, avoiding a last-place finish in this prestigious tournament.Heading into Friday’s closing round in Oslo, Gokesh is bottom of the standings with eight points. Just above that is the world No. 1. Magnus Carlsen 10 points after an unusually inconsistent campaign from the Norwegian star. For Gokesh, the equation is straightforward but difficult: He must beat Carlsen in a classic game to overtake him in the standings and avoid last place. It will be black for Gakesh and white for local boy.The 20-year-old Indian grandmaster’s woes deepened in Round 9 when he suffered a classic defeat at the hands of compatriot Praganandha. Playing with the white pieces, Gakesh came under constant pressure in a complex middle game. Praganandha gradually seized the initiative and converted his advantage with impressive accuracy, securing three crucial points.The victory took Praganandha to 15 points, putting him firmly in contention for the title. Tournament leader Wesley Soo is narrowly ahead on 15.5 points after drawing a classic encounter against Magnus Carlsen before winning the Armageddon game to claim the bonus points.Alireza Feroza is also strongly in the hunt. The French grandmaster survived a tough classic against Vincent Kaymer and later triumphed at Armageddon, taking his tally to 14.5 points and keeping his championship hopes alive.Also read: Norway Chess 2026 Full Round 9 Report Meanwhile, the women’s event has been decided. Bibisara Assaubayeva claimed the Norwegian Chess Women’s 2026 crown with a round two spare. Her draw against Anna Mozyczak, followed by Mozyczak’s Armageddon victory, was enough to mathematically guarantee first place.As the focus shifts to the final day, the spotlight will be on both ends of the leaderboard. With three players fighting for the trophy, Gokesh faces a must-win against Carlsen to avoid ending the tournament on a disappointing note.
