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 7 · 29 May 2026

Gukesh D — Carlsen

The Matchup

White
Gukesh DCredit
🇮🇳IND
4th · 3.5

Gukesh D

3027 Performance · 4 behind leader

Last 5 gamesA½½
World#10FIDE Standard world ranking from the latest monthly classical rating list before this tournament started. List: 2026-03-01.Elo2732Age20

India's reigning world champion, combining lightning calculation with resolute classical play in the sport's highest-pressure moments.

Games in this event →
0–1Black wins
Black
Magnus CarlsenCredit
🇳🇴NOR
6th · 1.5

Magnus Carlsen

2754 Performance · 6 behind leader

Last 5 gamesLAL
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)

D WinsDrawsCarlsen Wins

Source: FIDE

Scroll to see the game

Key Moments

Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation, Positional Variation
BlackCarlsenNOR2841
WhiteDIND2732
+8
B
-3.8W

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

Qc7+e5c7
-7.2256%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD56% would play this move

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

What changed

Attacking
Defending

Immediate impact

Be4 is active (king-zone pressure)

Critical reply

Bf7!Critical

Critical line

After critical line

Loses piece activity

Engine & players agree

Playable moves worth considering here.

Qxe6e5e6
na19%

MAIA 2200

PLAYER LIKELIHOOD19% would play this move

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

What changed

Attacking
Defending

Immediate impact

Be4 is active (king-zone pressure)