Elite chess explained, move by move
Dates
25 May — 05 Jun 2026
Location
Oslo, NO
Field
6 players
Format
Round-robin + Armageddon tiebreak
Time control
Classical
Rounds
10 · 10 played
Decisive
50%
Avg. rating
2765

Round 5 · 28 May 2026

Praggnanandhaa R — Carlsen

The Matchup

White
Praggnanandhaa RCredit
🇮🇳IND
4th · 1.5

Praggnanandhaa R

2856 Performance · 4.5 behind leader

Last 5 gamesAL
World#13FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2735Age20

India's young super-GM, combining deep calculation with fearless classical play and the tactical nerve that makes every armageddon tiebreak feel winnable.

Games in this event →
1–0White wins
Black
Magnus CarlsenCredit
🇳🇴NOR
4th · 1.5

Magnus Carlsen

2863 Performance · 4.5 behind leader

Last 5 gamesLA
World#1FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2841Age35

The highest-rated player in history, famous for squeezing wins from level positions and making endgames feel inevitable.

Games in this event →

Head to head

Classical OTB (lifetime FIDE)

R WinsDrawsCarlsen Wins

Source: FIDE

Scroll to see the game

Key Moments

Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation
BlackCarlsenNOR2841
WhiteRIND2735
+2
B
+5.2W

Classical factors on this position

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Checks, captures, and threats for the side to move

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The Moves

Other lines considered

From the crossroads before this move — engine and player perspectives.

Tempting traps

Nxc6e5c6
+3.035%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD5% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

What changed

Attacking
Defending
Needs defense on bf3No longer: Needs defense on Pc6

Immediate impact

Ne2 is active (king-zone pressure)

Critical reply

Rxf3+!Critical

Critical line

After critical line

Loses the e6 pawn

Black gets the main benefit, but black creates more concrete threats.

Engine & players agree

Playable moves worth considering here.

g2g3g2
-0.0679%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD79% would play this move

The Maia model estimates how often 2200-rated players choose this move from this position.

What changed

Attacking
Defending
Needs defense on Rf1

Immediate impact

Ne2 is active (king-zone pressure)

Critical reply

Rxf3+!Critical

Critical line

After critical line

Loses the h5 pawn

Black gets the main benefit, but black creates more concrete threats.