A day after turning 20, D Gukesh rediscovered his form with a crucial victory over compatriot R Praggnanandhaa in a gripping classical game at Norway Chess.
The win earned the reigning world champion three full points and lifted him to sole third place in the standings with 6.5 points.
Reigning champion and world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen endured another disappointing day, losing to American Grandmaster Wesley So.
The defeat left Carlsen at the bottom of the six-player standings with 4.5 points, while So moved into second place with 8.5 points behind leader Alireza Firouzja, who tops the table with 10 points.
The all-Indian contest witnessed several momentum swings, with both players enjoying winning chances.
The game entered a tense time scramble around move 40 before Praggnanandhaa committed a costly mistake. Gukesh seized the opportunity and launched a decisive attack that culminated in checkmate.
Reflecting on the victory, Gukesh described the encounter as a highly complex game.
"Luckily, the tricks kind of worked out for me," he said, adding that he feels sharper and more confident compared to a few months ago.
The world champion also highlighted the importance of confidence and happiness in helping players make quick and accurate decisions over the board.
In the women's event, India's Divya Deshmukh defeated China's Zhu Jiner in an 84-move marathon to claim three points and move into sole lead with 8.5 points.
Despite facing difficulties in the opening, Divya gradually turned the game around and capitalised on missed opportunities by her opponent to secure a hard-fought victory.
Elsewhere, India's Koneru Humpy defeated women's world champion Ju Wenjun, while Anna Muzychuk overcame Bibisara Assaubayeva.
The results further tightened the race in the women's section.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
