Norway Chess: Gukesh and Magnus Carlsen in final showdown to avoid last place

The world champion and the top-ranked grandmaster face an unlikely battle for survival as the prestigious tournament concludes in Oslo.

The final round of Norway Chess 2025 at the Deichman Bjørvika in Oslo has turned into a desperate scramble for position, but not in the way fans anticipated. A year after the two grandmasters were locked in a high-stakes duel for the top spot, D Gukesh and Magnus Carlsen find themselves staring at the bottom of the leaderboard. Friday’s encounter will serve as a definitive battle to avoid finishing in the basement of the standings.

A Tournament of Struggles

It has been a surprisingly bruising campaign for both players. Gukesh, who recently celebrated his 20th birthday during the event, has managed only a single victory in his nine classical games, while Carlsen has recorded just two wins. Both have endured a difficult run, each suffering four classical defeats throughout the event. The intensity of the competition was laid bare on Thursday, when both men faltered in the penultimate round, with Carlsen succumbing in the Armageddon portion of his match.

Praggnanandhaa’s Clinical Surge

While the world champion has struggled, his compatriot R Praggnanandhaa has displayed remarkable resilience. After an early-tournament blunder against Gukesh and a brief mid-event slump, Praggnanandhaa has roared back with three consecutive classical victories. His latest win came in just 34 moves against Gukesh on Thursday. Reflecting on the result, Praggnanandhaa noted that he often overthinks his approach against Gukesh’s creative style, but this time, he managed to maintain a clinical edge to secure the win.

The Final Calculation

As the tournament reaches its conclusion, the math for the bottom of the table is stark. Carlsen enters the final day with 10 points, while Gukesh sits on eight. For the Indian teenager to climb out of the last spot, he must secure a classical victory against the Norwegian icon. Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, the race for the title remains fierce. Wesley So leads the field, holding a half-point advantage over Praggnanandhaa, with Alireza Firouzja lurking just behind in the hunt for the trophy.

A Shift in the Chess Landscape

The struggles of these two giants highlight the volatile nature of elite chess. Since their opening-round clash, where Carlsen executed a classic king hunt to defeat the world champion, both players have been forced to navigate a grueling schedule. With the final round looming, all eyes remain on the board at Deichman Bjørvika to see if Gukesh can find one last resurgence or if the points gap will seal the final standings as they currently appear.