Norway Chess 2026 Standings After Round 4: Firouzja Leads, Praggnanandhaa Second
Firouzja remains first in Norway Chess 2026 after four rounds. See the latest standings, points table, Round 4 results and title race updates.
Alireza Firouzja continues to lead the Norway Chess 2026 standings after four rounds, maintaining his advantage despite suffering his first setback of the tournament in Round 4. The French grandmaster remains at the top of the points table with 8.5 points after an impressive start that included consecutive classical victories over Magnus Carlsen and R Praggnanandhaa.
Round 4 produced another dramatic day in Oslo. Magnus Carlsen secured his first classical win of the tournament by defeating reigning World Champion D Gukesh with the black pieces, while Praggnanandhaa defeated Vincent Keymer in Armageddon after their classical game ended in a draw. Wesley So also picked up valuable points by beating Firouzja in Armageddon.
Norway Chess 2026 Standings After Round 4
- Alireza Firouzja — 8.5 points
- R Praggnanandhaa — 6.0 points
- Wesley So — 5.5 points
- Magnus Carlsen — 4.5 points
- Vincent Keymer — 4.0 points
- D Gukesh — 3.5 points
The standings reflect Norway Chess' unique scoring system, where a classical win earns 3 points. If a classical game ends in a draw, players compete in an Armageddon tiebreak. The Armageddon winner receives 1.5 points, while the loser gets 1 point.
Firouzja Still in Control
Despite losing the Round 4 Armageddon game to Wesley So, Firouzja holds a 2.5-point lead over Praggnanandhaa after Round 4 of the field. His earlier classical victories gave him a significant cushion over his rivals and helped him build one of the strongest starts of the tournament.
The 22-year-old entered Round 4 with a commanding lead after defeating both Magnus Carlsen and Praggnanandhaa in classical chess during the opening rounds. Those wins pushed him back into the world's top 10 live ratings and established him as the early favorite for the Norway Chess 2026 title.
Praggnanandhaa Emerges as Main Challenger
Indian grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa sits in second place with 6 points after another strong performance. His Round 4 Armageddon victory over Vincent Keymer helped him keep pace with the tournament leader and strengthen his position near the top of the leaderboard.
Praggnanandhaa's campaign received a major boost in Round 3 when he defeated Magnus Carlsen in classical chess, one of the biggest results of the tournament so far.
Carlsen Back in the Race
Magnus Carlsen's victory over Gukesh was his first classical win of Norway Chess 2026 and an important turning point after a difficult opening phase. The Norwegian star had previously suffered classical defeats against Firouzja and Praggnanandhaa, leaving him with ground to make up in the standings.
With six rounds still remaining, Carlsen remains firmly in contention, especially given the tournament's aggressive scoring format that rewards classical victories.
Norway Chess 2026 Round 4 Results
- Magnus Carlsen defeated D Gukesh in classical chess.
- Praggnanandhaa defeated Vincent Keymer in Armageddon.
- Wesley So defeated Alireza Firouzja in Armageddon.
What Happens Next?
Following the Round 4 action, the tournament moves into its first rest day before Round 5 resumes in Oslo. Firouzja remains the player to catch, but Praggnanandhaa, Wesley So and Magnus Carlsen are all within striking distance if they can score more classical wins in the coming rounds.
With the title race still wide open, Norway Chess 2026 continues to deliver some of the most exciting games in elite chess.