[Event "14th Norway Chess 2026"] [Site "Oslo NOR"] [Date "2026.05.28"] [Round "4.1"] [White "So, Wesley"] [Black "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [ECO "D35"] [WhiteElo "2754"] [BlackElo "2759"] [WhiteFideId "5202213"] [BlackFideId "-1"] [PlyCount "63"] [GameId "2314977659772979"] [EventDate "2026.05.25"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "10"] [EventCountry "NOR"] [EventCategory "21"] {[%evp 0,62,18,27,17,12,22,14,26,17,10,17,10,32767,16,-3,11,-35,-17,-14,-17,0,6,18,0,32767,-18,-32,-34,-23,-29,-28,-38,-35,3,5,8,32767,9,16,32767,32767,13,22,23,31,15,31,7,40,26,15,25,44,38,28,10,23,31,1,21,12,14,1,17]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 c6 6. e3 h6 7. Bf4 {If a near-beginner played this, you'd want to explain that they should have played 5.Bf4 instead. What So is telling us is that he believes, or at least hopes, that ...h6 will prove to be of negative value. Why? The only reason is that the h-pawn could be a target; more specifically, a hook. The g-pawn will advance and White will try to land an attack.} Bf5 8. f3 {Pleasingly direct. Next up: g4.} Bd6 $146 9. g4 Bh7 10. Kf2 Qe7 $1 {Naturally, Black is not going to castle short and ask White to deliver checkmate. Black's king is headed for the queenside, and even though that's not completely safe either, all of White's advances on the kingside mean that *his* king will have a few nervous moments as well.} 11. h4 Nbd7 12. Nge2 O-O-O 13. Ng3 Ne8 14. Bd3 Bxd3 15. Qxd3 Bxf4 16. exf4 Nc7 17. f5 Qd6 18. Rae1 Rde8 19. Qd2 {More or less a draw offer.} Rxe1 20. Rxe1 Re8 21. Rxe8+ Nxe8 22. Nce2 Qe7 23. g5 hxg5 24. hxg5 Nd6 25. b3 b6 26. Qe3 Qxe3+ 27. Kxe3 Kd8 28. Nf4 Ke7 {And now, in lieu of a draw offer, a repetition.} 29. Nfh5 Kf8 30. Nf4 Ke7 31. Nfh5 Kf8 32. Nf4 1/2-1/2 [Event "14th Norway Chess 2026"] [Site "Oslo NOR"] [Date "2026.05.28"] [Round "4.2"] [White "Gukesh, D."] [Black "Carlsen, Magnus"] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [ECO "D35"] [WhiteElo "2732"] [BlackElo "2840"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [BlackFideId "1503014"] [PlyCount "84"] [GameId "2314977659772980"] [EventDate "2026.05.25"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "10"] [EventCountry "NOR"] [EventCategory "21"] {[%evp 0,83,18,25,22,18,13,32767,19,12,12,14,35,32767,22,27,22,27,25,32767,15,32,21,30,28,31,29,16,20,27,20,27,40,31,23,53,30,18,0,0,-1,6,10,-41,-28,-24,-24,-41,-10,-77,-118,-88,-50,-39,-64,-38,-30,-80,-75,-80,32767,32767,-196,-193,-143,-150,32767,-143,-148,-190,-198,-252,-228,-275,-317,32767,32767,-267,-305,-272,-301,-280,-304,-334,-272,-338]} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Bb4 (5... Be7 {is also in Carlsen's repertoire - he has played it at least four times this year alone.}) 6. Nf3 Qd6 (6... h6) ({and} 6... Nbd7 {are far more common.}) 7. Nd2 c6 8. Qc2 h6 9. Nb5 $5 Qe7 $146 (9... Bxd2+ $142 10. Bxd2 Qe7 $11 11. Nc3 O-O 12. e3 c5 13. Ne2 Ne4 14. dxc5 Nc6 15. Ng3 Nxd2 16. Qxd2 Qxc5 17. Bd3 d4 18. e4 Be6 19. O-O Ne5 20. Rfc1 Qb6 21. Bf1 d3 22. h3 Rfd8 23. b3 Rac8 24. Kh2 Ng6 25. Rxc8 Bxc8 26. Rc1 Qd6 27. Qxd3 Qxd3 28. Bxd3 Bxh3 29. gxh3 Rxd3 30. Rc8+ Kh7 31. Rc7 Ne5 32. Re7 Nf3+ 33. Kg2 Nh4+ 34. Kf1 Rd1+ 35. Ke2 Ra1 36. a4 Ra2+ 37. Kf1 Ra1+ 38. Ke2 Ra2+ 39. Ke3 Ng2+ 40. Kf3 Ne1+ 41. Ke3 Ng2+ 42. Kd4 Rxf2 43. Nf5 Kg6 44. Rxb7 Rf3 45. h4 a5 46. Rb5 h5 47. b4 axb4 48. a5 Nf4 49. Kc5 Ra3 50. Kb6 Nd3 51. Nd4 Nb2 52. Rxb4 Na4+ 53. Kc6 Nc3 54. Rb3 Ra4 55. Rxc3 Rxd4 56. a6 Rxe4 57. a7 Ra4 58. Kb6 Rxa7 59. Kxa7 Kf5 60. Rg3 g6 61. Rg5+ Ke4 62. Kb6 f5 63. Kc5 f4 64. Rxg6 {1-0 Inarkiev,E (2628)-Khalifman,A (2622) EU-Cup 22nd Fuegen 2006 (7.5)}) 10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. Nc3 $14 {Black has the bishops, White the better structure.} Nd7 12. e3 Nb6 13. Bd3 (13. g3) (13. a3) 13... Rg8 14. g3 Bh3 $5 15. a3 Bxc3 16. bxc3 $6 {Playable, but it makes the future of White's king rather iffy. Taking with the queen allows White to castle long without much risk.} (16. Qxc3 $142 $14 {/?}) 16... Nc8 $1 17. c4 (17. Bf1 {looks sensible, guaranteeing the king's safety on the kingside whether Black captures or not.}) 17... dxc4 18. Qxc4 $6 ({Both} 18. Nxc4) ({and} 18. Bxc4 {retain chances for an edge.}) 18... Nd6 19. Qb4 a5 20. Qc3 Rg5 {Black has been steadily activating his pieces, while White hasn't achieved anything over the past half-dozen moves. His pieces remain uncoordinated, his rooks aren't connected, his king is stuck in the center - what is he doing?} 21. Be2 Rc8 {Black will play ...c5 next, with even more activity.} 22. f3 c5 23. Kf2 Rd5 $15 24. Qb2 $2 (24. dxc5 $142 Rdxc5 25. Qd4) 24... cxd4 $17 25. exd4 Kf8 {Getting the king close to relative safety on g7 while clearing e8 for the rook.} (25... Nf5 $142 $17) 26. Rhe1 Be6 27. Rad1 f5 $1 {The f-pawn will be a battering ram.} 28. Nf1 f4 29. Bd3 Qf6 (29... b5 $142) (29... Qd8 $142) 30. Be4 $2 (30. Re5 $1 $11 {/? kept things under control, shielding the d-pawn and stopping ...Rb5.}) 30... Rb5 $19 {Now Black's pieces quickly flood in.} 31. Qd2 Bb3 $1 32. Rc1 Rxc1 33. Qxc1 (33. Rxc1 Nxe4+ 34. fxe4 fxg3+ {wins material, as} 35. Kxg3 $4 Rg5+ $19 {is mate in 2-3 moves unless White throws away his queen and his rook by taking on g5.}) 33... Qxd4+ 34. Kg2 Be6 $1 {Usefully rerouting the bishop while clearing the way for ...Rb2+.} 35. Qxf4 Rb2+ 36. Kh1 Qf2 $1 37. Qxd6+ Kg7 38. Qe5+ f6 39. Qxb2 (39. Qxe6 Qg2#) 39... Qxb2 40. Rb1 Qxa3 41. Rxb7+ Kf8 {If Black's a-pawn were to disappear White might be able to save this ending. With it, there's no (genuine) chance.} 42. g4 a4 0-1 [Event "14th Norway Chess 2026"] [Site "Oslo NOR"] [Date "2026.05.28"] [Round "4.3"] [White "Keymer, Vincent"] [Black "Praggnanandhaa, R."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [ECO "A05"] [WhiteElo "2759"] [BlackElo "2733"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [BlackFideId "-1"] [PlyCount "92"] [GameId "2314977659772981"] [EventDate "2026.05.25"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "10"] [EventCountry "NOR"] [EventCategory "21"] 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. O-O e5 5. e4 Be7 6. c4 a6 7. Nc3 b5 8. b3 Rb8 9. d3 d6 10. Nd5 O-O 11. Nxe7+ Qxe7 {Black can be pleased with the opening. White has the two bishops, but for now the "bishop" on g2 is one only a mother could love.} 12. Ne1 bxc4 13. bxc4 Ne8 14. Nc2 Nc7 15. f4 exf4 16. gxf4 f5 17. exf5 {Now it really is a bishop, but its freedom came at the cost of significant damage to his pawn structure.} Bd7 18. d4 $1 {A nice move, opening the board for White's long-range pieces.} cxd4 19. Nxd4 Nxd4 20. Qxd4 Bxf5 21. Ba3 Rf6 22. Rad1 Rd8 23. Rfe1 Qd7 $11 {It's equal, but a lively and doubled-edged equality. White's pieces are beautifully placed, but his king is exposed and his pawns are all isolated.} 24. Re3 h6 (24... Ne6) 25. c5 Kh7 26. c6 (26. cxd6 Nb5) 26... Qf7 27. Qb6 Rg6 28. Rg3 d5 $2 (28... Re8 $1 29. Bxd6 Rd8 $3 30. Rxg6 Qxg6 31. Qxc7 Bh3 32. Rd2 Bxg2 33. Rxg2 Qb1+ 34. Kf2 Qc2+ $11 {Black will give perpetual check.}) 29. Rxg6 $2 (29. Bb2 $1 d4 $1 30. Rxd4 Qe6 $1 31. Bc3 $16) 29... Qxg6 $15 30. Qf2 $2 (30. Kh1 Be4 31. Rg1 $15) 30... Qxc6 $17 {/-+} 31. Bb2 Rd7 (31... Ne6 $142) 32. Be5 Ne6 33. h4 Qa4 (33... Qc4) 34. Rd2 $2 (34. Qe2 $142) 34... d4 $19 35. Qf3 Qa5 $6 (35... Qb4 $19) 36. Qh5 $1 Bg6 (36... g6 $142 $19) 37. Qd1 (37. Qe2 $142) 37... Qc3 $2 (37... d3 $19 {was best, both for the pawn's sake and to clear d4 for the knight.}) 38. Kh2 $1 $15 Bf5 39. Qh5 $1 {Keymer defends well.} Bg6 40. Qd1 $11 Rf7 41. Rf2 $2 (41. h5 Bf5 42. Bxd4 $11) 41... Bf5 $17 42. Qh5 Rf8 43. Bd6 Rf6 (43... g6 $17) 44. Be5 Rf8 45. Bd6 Rf6 (45... g6 $17) 46. Be5 Rf8 {Definitely a missed chance for Praggnanandhaa, though he did at least go on to win the Armageddon game.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "14th Norway Armageddon"] [Site "Oslo NOR"] [Date "2026.05.28"] [Round "4.1"] [White "So, Wesley"] [Black "Firouzja, Alireza"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [ECO "D35"] [WhiteElo "2754"] [BlackElo "2759"] [WhiteFideId "5202213"] [BlackFideId "-1"] [PlyCount "118"] [GameId "2314977702678608"] [EventDate "2026.05.25"] [EventType "blitz"] [EventRounds "10"] [EventCountry "NOR"] {[%evp 0,116,23,17,18,17,25,15,23,13,8,11,12,10,14,5,-9,-5,-1,-11,-11,-13,23,-42,1,-7,-9,-18,-5,-6,44,25,40,47,45,61,37,49,49,48,66,47,59,39,43,35,30,39,26,37,31,23,32,17,34,31,17,47,41,35,17,19,1,21,157,192,183,35,-1,13,154,187,225,215,282,229,214,269,267,281,274,217,279,262,241,186,191,174,197,181,184,178,202,161,187,181,183,177,180,137,212,147,147,146,164,162,386,386,341,357,372,349,406,434,413,442,621,337,321]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 c6 6. Qc2 g6 7. h3 Bf5 8. Qb3 Qb6 9. g4 Be6 10. Bg2 Nbd7 11. Qc2 Bg7 12. Bf4 O-O 13. e3 Rfe8 14. Ng5 c5 15. Nxe6 fxe6 16. Rd1 Rac8 17. O-O cxd4 18. exd4 Nb8 19. Rfe1 Nc6 20. Qd2 Nd7 21. Be3 Qd8 22. f4 Nb6 23. b3 Qf6 24. Ne2 Bf8 25. Rf1 Bb4 26. Qb2 Bd6 27. Kh1 Nb4 28. Nc3 Nc6 29. Ne2 Nb4 30. Rd2 Rc7 31. Nc3 Rec8 $2 {This loses the game (eventually).} ({Black is fine after the boring prophylactic move} 31... a6 {. Having prevented Nb5 he can decide on the next turn what he wants to do with his rooks.}) 32. Nb5 $1 $18 Rc2 33. Rxc2 $2 $16 {White is still better, but not as much as he could have been.} (33. Qa3 $1 Bf8 34. Qxa7 $18) 33... Rxc2 (33... Nxc2 $142) 34. Qb1 $16 {/+-} Bf8 $2 (34... Re2 $142) 35. a3 $18 {I'm sure Firouzja saw this, but failed to see that after} Re2 36. Bg1 Nc6 37. Bf3 Rd2 38. Be3 {his rook is trapped. He fights on, but it's a lost cause.} a6 39. Bxd2 axb5 40. Qd3 Bxa3 41. Be3 Nc8 42. Qxb5 (42. f5 $1 {was even better, opening the board for all four of his pieces.}) 42... Nd6 43. Qe2 Kf7 44. Rd1 Bb4 45. Bg2 Qh4 46. Rf1 Qf6 47. Qd3 Ne7 48. Bg1 h5 49. Bh2 Ke8 50. Bg1 hxg4 51. hxg4 Nc6 52. Qh3 Nxd4 $4 {Firouzja had done a better job of defending than So had of converting his advantage, but now another blunder lets So finish him off.} 53. g5 Qg7 54. Bxd4 Qxd4 55. Qxe6+ {There's no coming back from this one.} Kf8 56. Bxd5 Qc3 57. Kg2 Bc5 58. Qf6+ {No sense messing around.} Qxf6 59. gxf6 Ne8 1-0 [Event "14th Norway Armageddon"] [Site "Oslo NOR"] [Date "2026.05.28"] [Round "4.3"] [White "Keymer, Vincent"] [Black "Praggnanandhaa, R."] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [ECO "A34"] [WhiteElo "2759"] [BlackElo "2733"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [BlackFideId "-1"] [PlyCount "34"] [GameId "2314977702678609"] [EventDate "2026.05.25"] [EventType "blitz"] [EventRounds "10"] [EventCountry "NOR"] {[%evp 0,34,21,14,16,14,19,23,9,0,15,-11,1,-1,-1,11,2,-25,-52,-20,-19,-22,-15,-16,-29,-24,-40,-38,-29,-20,-13,-17,-4,-2,-16,-178,-180]} 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nb4 6. Bc4 Be6 (6... Nd3+ {is the main line.}) 7. Bb5+ Bd7 8. Bxd7+ ({And here,} 8. a3 {is usual.}) 8... Qxd7 $15 9. Ne5 $146 Qd4 10. a3 Nd3+ 11. Nxd3 Qxd3 12. Qe2 Qxe2+ (12... Qd7 $142) 13. Kxe2 $11 Nc6 14. d3 e6 15. Be3 Be7 16. Rhc1 Rc8 (16... O-O $142 $11) (16... Kd7 $142 $11) 17. Rc2 $4 {The plan of doubling rooks on the c-file and preparing a well-timed b4 is appealing--but not in this version.} (17. Na4 b6 18. b4 $14) 17... Nd4+ {Oops. White loses at least an exchange.} (17... Nd4+ 18. Kd1 (18. Bxd4 $2 cxd4 {wins the knight, thanks to the pin down the c-file.}) 18... Nxc2 19. Kxc2 $19) 0-1