Oslo, May 27 (IANS) Norway Chess continued to produce high-intensity battles in its second round, with Alireza Firouzja emerging as the early frontrunner after registering his second straight classical victory in Oslo.

Firouzja delivered the only decisive result of the day in the open section, defeating Indian teenager Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa in a deeply strategic encounter.

The French star gradually tightened his grip from the middlegame onward, converting a positional edge into a convincing win with composed endgame technique.

The victory pushed Firouzja clear at the top of the standings after just two rounds, underlining his strong start to one of the world’s most prestigious over-the-board events.

Meanwhile, local favourite and World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen was forced to work hard before edging past Germany’s Vincent Keymer in Armageddon. Their classical encounter ended in a draw after a gripping battle in which Carlsen appeared to hold a slight endgame advantage for long stretches.

Keymer, however, defended resourcefully under pressure to force the split point before Carlsen struck in the tiebreaker to secure the bonus points.

The other classical game of the round also went the distance, as reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju and American grandmaster Wesley So fought out a tense draw following a long strategic duel. So later prevailed in Armageddon to claim the additional points.

Norway Chess Women, meanwhile, witnessed another fiercely contested round, with all three classical games ending level before the outcomes were decided in Armageddon.

Kazakh star Bibisara Assaubayeva maintained her lead in the standings after overcoming China’s Zhu Jiner in the tiebreak format. Following a tense and complicated classical game, Assaubayeva showed composure in the faster format, continuing her unbeaten start to the tournament.

The spotlight also fell on an all-Indian showdown between Divya Deshmukh and veteran grandmaster Koneru Humpy. After their classical encounter ended in a balanced draw, Divya held her nerve in Armageddon to secure an important victory and valuable bonus points.

Elsewhere, Ukrainian grandmaster Anna Muzychuk defeated reigning Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun in Armageddon after another closely fought classical game.

With two rounds completed, Firouzja and Assaubayeva remain the players to beat in Oslo, as Norway Chess 2026 continues to showcase elite-level battles and dramatic finishes across both sections.

–IANS

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