Stavanger, Norway: Day four of the Norway Chess tournament witnessed some surprising results and dramatic twists, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. Young Indian star R Praggnanandhaa, who had shocked world no.1 Magnus Carlsen the previous day, suffered a disappointing loss against Hikaru Nakamura.
Despite putting up a valiant fight that lasted 86 moves, Praggu was eventually outplayed by the experienced American. In a candid comment during the game, Nakamura confessed to finding the complex position boring. Meanwhile, Praggu realized during analysis that he had missed a crucial defensive chance earlier.
In another thriller, Carlsen had to dig deep to escape with a draw against Fabiano Caruana. A victory for the American could have taken him within striking distance of the World no.1 spot. Late in the game, Caruana inexplicably blundered, gifting Carlsen the full point. The Norwegian admitted the pressure of retaining his long-held ranking was a factor.
Reigning World Champion Ding Liren endured a second consecutive defeat, stunned by the talented Alireza Firouzja of France. The loss leaves Ding’s position at the top vulnerable, with young guns like Wei Yi now ahead in ratings. Firouzja sympathized with Ding, acknowledging his opponent seemed unable to find the best moves.
In the women’s section, India’s Vaishali continued her fine run with another victory, taking her to the top of standings at the halfway stage. Round five is set for Saturday after a rest day, with the surprise results ensuring an thrilling second half of the prestigious tournament remains very much up for grabs.
