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Bibisara Assaubayeva has secured the Norway Chess Women 2026 title with one round to spare after a key result in Oslo.
She drew her classical game against Anna Muzychuk, who went on to win the Armageddon decider with the black pieces to claim the extra points. However, the outcome was not enough to threaten Assaubayeva's position, with her lead at the top proving mathematically unassailable. While, Wesley So's classical game against world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen ended in a balanced draw. So then prevailed in the Armageddon decider to claim the bonus points, strengthening his position at the top ahead of the final round. Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu produced the standout classical win of the day, defeating World Champion D Gukesh with the black pieces. In a complex battle, Praggnanandhaa seized control after Gukesh came under pressure in the middlegame and converted the advantage with confidence. The victory earned him three points, taking his tally to 15 and moving him to within half a point of tournament leader Wesley So. Alireza Firouzja also remained firmly in contention after surviving a tough classical encounter against Vincent Keymer. Keymer pressed hard for long stretches, but Firouzja defended resourcefully before clinching the Armageddon decider to add crucial points and keep his title hopes alive. After Round 9, Wesley So leads Norway Chess with 15.5 points, followed closely by Praggnanandhaa on 15 and Firouzja on 14.5. In the Women's Norway Chess, Zhu Jiner produced the only decisive classical victory in the Women's event, defeating India's Divya Deshmukh with the black pieces. Zhu kept the pressure and converted after Divya fell into time trouble, earning 3 valuable points and moving into second place. The game between India's Humpy Koneru and reigning Women's World Champion Ju Wenjun also ended in a classical draw. Ju Wenjun then won the Armageddon game with the black pieces, collecting the additional points. After Round 9, Bibisara Assaubayeva leads the Norway Chess Women's with 16.5 points and has secured first place. Zhu Jiner follows with 13 points, while Anna Muzychuk is third with 12 points. (ANI)
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