Praggnanandhaa falls to Nakamura; Carlsen and Firouzja impress in Norway Chess 2024

Praggnanandhaa falls to Nakamura; Carlsen and Firouzja impress in Norway Chess 2024

A dramatic turn at Norway Chess 2024 saw India's Praggnanandhaa R fall to America's Hikaru Nakamura in Round 4. Nakamura's preparation paid off as he countered Praggnanandhaa's knight sacrifice, securing a solid victory and topping the overall standings.

Praggnanandhaa's sister, Vaishali, extended her impressive lead to 8.5 points by defeating the veteran Pia Cramling. Indian Grandmaster Humpy faced a setback, losing to Anna Muzychuk.

Other highlights include Ju Wenjun's victory over Lie Tengjie in the fourth Armageddon tiebreak of the Women's Tournament. Magnus Carlsen edged out Fabiano Caruana in a thrilling endgame to secure three points, maintaining his lead. Alireza Firouzja stunned World Champion Ding Liren, adding three crucial points to his tally.

Round 5 is set for June 1, featuring key matchups: Carlsen vs. Firouzja, Ding vs. Nakamura, and Praggnanandhaa vs. Caruana. In the Women's Tournament, Vaishali faces Lei Tingjie, Ju Wenjun takes on Koneru Humpy, and Anna Muzychuk meets Pia Cramling.