Oslo, India's R Praggnanandhaa signalled a return to his menacing best with a sensational victory over world No.1 Magnus Carlsen, outplaying the Norwegian great to claim three full points.
Carlsen may not have looked invincible in this year's edition, with rivals increasingly exposing rare chinks in his game.
Praggnanandhaa, carrying the confidence from his recent triumph at the Superbet Chess Classic Romania in Bucharest, held his nerve on Wednesday night against the five-time classical world champion in a tense time scramble to climb to second place with 4.5 points.
The victory also marked Praggnanandhaa's second classical win over the Norwegian legend at Norway Chess, having stunned him memorably during the 2024 edition.
However, it was Firouzja who continued to light up the tournament with his red-hot form, defeating D. Gukesh in Armageddon after their classical game ended in a draw to collect 1.5 points and surge to 7.5 overall.
