Wesley So Takes Norway Chess Lead After Beating Praggnanandhaa — Chess

Wesley So took the Norway Chess 2026 lead after beating Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu in round six. The win was his second straight and moved him to 11.5 points with four rounds left, while the standings kept shifting around him in both the open and women’s events.

So Puts 11.5 Points on Top

So’s performance was listed at 2884 after he converted another classical win on Sunday. He said after the game, "I didn't know what to play, so I just decided to play Shankland's Chessable course with this setup Be2 b3, but then we got the Stonewall anyway!"

That result mattered because the round was loaded with decisive games. Five out of the last six classical games in Norway Chess had been decisive, and round six added four more classical wins through So, Magnus Carlsen, Vincent Keymer and Ju Wenjun.

Carlsen Ends Firouzja Run

Carlsen beat Alireza Firouzja, ending the streak that had carried Firouzja through the tournament since his round one win over Carlsen. Firouzja entered the round as the leader, but So’s result pushed him off the top after six rounds.

Carlsen’s win also snapped a rough run of three classical losses, and he had been in last place before round six. Afterward, So said on the broadcast, "I just wonder if he'll bounce back, but he didn't leave any doubts. He played really well today."

Women’s Board Shifts Again

The women’s event changed too. Ju Wenjun beat Divya Deshmukh in a classical game, while Bibisara Assaubayeva beat Koneru Humpy in armageddon. Anna Muzychuk drew her classical game before losing the fast game to Zhu Jiner, leaving Assaubayeva as the new sole leader after round six.

Round seven was set to start on Monday, June 1, at 11 a.m. ET, with the field returning after a day in which So seized control, Carlsen forced himself back into the race, and the women’s table turned again at the top.