Wesley So maintains his commanding lead at Norway Chess despite dropping the Armageddon to Gukesh after fighting to a classical draw. His two-and-a-half-point cushion looks substantial with the tournament winding down.
The real story belongs to Praggnanandhaa, who notched a classical victory over Firouzja. This marks Alireza's second straight loss in classical play, a damaging stretch for someone chasing So. Firouzja entered Norway Chess as the second-rated player in the field, but classical losses pile up fast in this format.
Carlsen mixed results against Keymer, drawing the classical encounter and holding the Armageddon with black. The gains were modest, but he's grinding forward. In a tournament where So looks untouchable, staying within striking distance matters.
So's strategy is working. He's not playing for fireworks. He draws when he should draw, wins when opportunities arrive, and he's pacing himself through the last rounds. Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa both have wins to their credit, but neither can match So's consistency. Firouzja's collapse from second place into the chasing pack reveals how quickly momentum shifts when classical games start going the wrong way.