Carlsen, Gukesh and Chess are changing, and Norway Chess 2026 is epitomising the trend

It's been quite the roller-coaster journey so far in the 14th edition of Norway Chess, the tournament that has moved to Oslo this year after taking place in Stavanger since its inception in 2013. And we're a little over the halfway mark of the tournament so far, with another four rounds still to go at the prestigious tournament.

From defending champion Magnus Carlsen's forgettable run at the tournament and reigning world champion D Gukesh sharing his thoughts in the confessional booth to Divya Deshmukh leading the women's standings, a lot has happened in the tournament so far.

Here's a look at each of these pointers, which are a sign of a change in the chess world, in greater detail below?

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Carlsen given a reality check in the Classical format

The single biggest takeaway from what we have seen in this year's Norway Chess is Magnus Carlsen's poor run. The world No 1 and the defending champion – who had arrived in the Norwegian capital as a solid favourite to win a record-extending eighth title – has suffered three losses in the five Classical matches that he has played so far, including against India's R Praggnanandhaa.

Carlsen, as a result, finds himself at the bottom of the standings with just 4.5 points at the moment, with his chances of successfully defending his title getting more faint with each passing day.

Interestingly, the Norwegian Grandmaster had indicated in a press conference right before the ongoing tournament that his hunger in the Classical format would depend in the "meal" that was served before him. Looking at how he has fared so far in the tournament, suffering Classical defeats against Alireza Firouzja and Wesley So in addition to Pragg with his only win in the format coming against D Gukesh, one wonders if the meal turned out to be too spicy for him.

Then again, Carlsen's struggles in his home event could also be the result of the five-time world champion being semi-retired in the format for years. That even the world's best player, someone who is counted among the greatest of all time, needs to play the format regularly to stay sharp and avoid losing form.

Gukesh finally becoming more expressive

Gukesh is known for his reserved demeanour, whether at the chess table or off it, as well as his maturity when it comes to making public statements. And for someone who has shattered multiple records at such a young age, the Chennai resident sure is one humble lad.

So when Gukesh decides to shed his reserved demeanour for a moment and express himself, it does make headlines. Whether one looks at his emotional reaction after beating Ding Liren to win the World Championships in December 2024. Or his fist pump after beating Candidates winner Javokhir Sindarov at the opening event of the Grand Chess Tour in Warsaw.

And in the ongoing Norway Chess, Gukesh showed a different side to himself by turning up in the confessional booth – a special feature of the tournament where players speak privately to a camera in the middle of a game, revealing their thoughts. It was during his fifth-round clash against compatriot Praggnanandhaa a day after his 20th birthday in which he registered his first Classical win of the ongoing tournament.

At his heart, Gukesh still might be and will likely remain the humble lad that he has always been. But seeing a different side to India's biggest chess star in the modern era is also a welcome sight.

Divya living up to her potential

Last, but not the least, Divya Deshmukh finding herself at the top of the standings in the third edition of Norway Chess Women is another happy sight for Indian chess and another indicator of just how much the country has progressed in women's chess over the last couple of years.

The year 2025 was a historic one for women's chess in India with the all-Indian World Cup final between Divya and Koneru Humpy and with R Vaishali successfully defending her Women's Grand Swiss title.

And 2026 has turned out to be no different, with Vaishali winning the Candidates in Cyprus and Divya now climbing to the top of the standings, ahead of Kazakhstan's Bibisara Assaubayeva, beating China's Zhu Jiner in her latest outing.

Divya had a few hiccups ever since she defeated Humpy to win the 2025 Fide World Cup in Batumi and become the latest female Grandmaster from the country. Her's progress in Norway is a reminder to her critics that her heroics last year certainly isn't a one-off.