Norwegian Chess 2026: Gukesh’s Test, Koner Humpy’s Return — Why You Should Be Excited?

D Gukesh, Divya Deshmukh, Koneru Humpy and R Praggnanandhaa (Photo by Michal Walusza/Norwegian Chess) NEW DELHI: Norwegian chess returns to the capital Oslo for the first time this year after spending 13 consecutive years finding its footing in Stavanger. In another change, it won’t be the only classic appearance of the season for world number one and five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen as the king of Norway, having already played and indeed won the TePe Sigeman chess tournament in Malmö, Sweden, earlier this month.However, for fans of the reigning World Chess Champion, this will surely be one of the last times you will see D Gukesh compete in the grueling Classical format before his World Championship defense against Uzbek Grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov later this November.Since last year’s viral table-banging incident involving Carlsen against Gukesh, Norwegian chess has caught the attention of outliers. Organizers freely admit the impact; Magnus’ sudden outburst became such an overnight trend that everyone from Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan to social media influencer Nick Wilkins rushed to recreate the act in their own capacity.Will 2026 serve up something similarly explosive? Time will tell. But with a wild double round-robin format spanning 12 days (including two rest days) running between May 25 and June 6, fans can expect some thrilling clashes. This means that India will focus on these stories:

Where Gukesh has to work before the title clash

On the last day of March this year, Gukesh, who will turn 20 on May 29, dropped a post on social media that many did not foresee. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he announced that he would be “skipping long events away from home to devote more time to training.”To put it into perspective, Gukesh’s last classic outing was the Prague Masters in February this year. He previously performed at the prestigious Tata Steel Chess tournament in Wijk Aan Zee.The teenager struggled badly in both classics, finishing penultimate (8th) in Prague and a disappointing 9th in the 14-man field in Wijk Aan Zee.Even in the shorter formats in recent times, apart from a few flashes of brilliance, there has been a lack of spark. That poor run fueled a growing chorus of skeptics who suggested he could lose his world crown in November. Magnus Carlsen himself stirred the pot in April, declaring:

All eyes on D Gukesh (Photo Michal Walusza/Norwegian Chess)

“First of all, I’m really curious to see what Sindarov can do in the next few months because he’s very different from Gukesh. In the sense that Gukesh has very obvious weaknesses in terms of his understanding and Sindarov not in the same way. He’s much more versatile.”Carlsen will sit across the deck of Gukesh twice in the next fortnight, offering the Indian the perfect canvas to issue a quiet reply. But what if not?Speaking to Lichess, five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand said, “Having gone through something like that, I would say (to Gukesh) just ignore it. And if you’re not able to ignore it, if it bothers you on some level, accept that it’s normal. Nobody promised you perfect happiness.“And even as a world champion, your life shouldn’t be… no one owes you perfection or smooth flow. It’s going to be rough. Everyone’s going to look at you differently, and everyone secretly wants your title.”Unless Gukesh can reverse the momentum in Oslo, his team will have a lot of tactical recalibration to do before November.

Divya Deshmukh: The youngest competitor in Norwegian chess

Last year, Divya Deshmukh emerged as one of the most touching sports stories in the country. Following her spectacular victory at the FIDE Women’s World Championship, her growing fitness and the massive popularity she has honed by being one of only two players to brave the open section of the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 make her the perfect candidate for Norwegian Chess to be invited to Oslo.At just 20 years old, she is now the youngest participant in the Norwegian Women’s Chess, which offers the same prize pool of NOK 1,690,000 (Norwegian kroner), which corresponds to the open section.However, getting quality chess out of her mind remains higher on Divya’s agenda than windfall funds.

Divya Deshmukh is the youngest competitor in Norwegian chess (photo by Michal Walusza/Norway Chess)

She endured a tough ride at the Women’s Candidates in Cyprus, finishing second to last, while compatriot R Vaishali secured the crown. Despite her relative inexperience at this elite level and her first appearance as a candidate, the disappointment in Divya’s camp was palpable.There were no post-tournament interviews and no social media updates on her profile as the silence continued for weeks.No interviews, no social media posts about her experience in Cyprus. By the time she arrived in Oslo, smiling and ready to go to Oslo again, there was only silence. Life is about ups and downs and Divya knows it. Overcoming adversity with a smile is what defines a champion. She would soon like to feel that too.

Return for Konera Humpy

Koneru Humpy became the only reason why the organizers of FIDE and Women’s Candidates were scratching their heads a few days before their flagship event. Citing heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, the legendary Indian grandmaster pulled out of the tournament, forcing organizers to draft Anna Muzychuk, who happens to be the defending Norwegian women’s chess champion and is back in Oslo to defend her crown.

Women’s line-up in the tournament (Photo by Michal Walusza/Norské shaky)

Humpy stands by his decision unwaveringly. In a recent interview with The Tech Word News, she explained:“More importantly, I should love the sport when I play the tournament. I shouldn’t feel like I’m putting pressure on my family or my near and dear ones when I travel somewhere. I don’t regret not playing that tournament because the scenarios when I opted out were completely different.”Humpy may not regret skipping the female candidates, but Indian fans sure missed her signature artistry.It’s back to the board tonight in Norway. A silver lining? Months spent preparing for the Candidates without real tournament fatigue could pay off big over the next two weeks.

Chess seeks to redeem Praggnanandhaa

R Praggnanandhaa, who headed into the open candidates section, was India’s first hope. However, with Uzbek prodigy Sindarov running through the field, those hopes quickly evaporated.In the larger context, Praggnanandhaa, like Gukesh, has failed to get his way in recent events. Since mid-2025, his performances at major tournaments have not received the usual acclaim.

Vaibhav Suri, Praggnanandhaa, Vincent Keymer and Gukesh (Photo: Michal Walusza Norway Chess)

However, his elder sister Vaishali, who won the Women’s Candidates, transformed the narrative from “Pragg the world-beater” to “Pragg the supportive brother”, shielding his individual technical lapses from harsh scrutiny.Along with his trusted second Vaibhav Suri, Praggnanandhaa had to prepare meticulously for this elite field.The whole world will be watching the events in Norway. Praggnandhaa’s redemption is a must for the world and Indian chess.

Who do you think will become the best player in the women’s category of Norwegian chess?

Is Indian fame too much?

With a star-studded field featuring Carlsen and Vincent Keymer in superb form in 2026, and the recent dip in the form of the Indian contingent, net placing your bets on an Indian triumph in the open category would be incredibly risky.However, the beauty of the double round-robin format is its volatility, and luck can turn on a single mistake. While the open field looks like an uphill climb, keep your sights set on the women’s draw. Koneru Humpy is a veteran in this space and it wouldn’t surprise anyone if the veteran spends the next fortnight completely outsmarting the field.