Divya Deshmukh Stumbles Against Ju Wenjun as Assaubayeva Extends Lead

India’s Divya Deshmukh suffered a setback in Round 6 of the Norway Chess Women 2026 , going down to China’s world champion Ju Wenjun , but remained firmly in contention on 8.5 points after six rounds, keeping the title race wide open.

The defeat came in a key classical clash where Ju Wenjun registered her first win of the event, moving to 8 points with a solid unbeaten record comprising one win and five draws. Despite the loss, Divya stays in the top group with one win, one loss and four draws , and remains among the strongest challengers.

At the top, Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva continues to lead the standings with 9.5 points , built on one classical win, five draws and three Armageddon victories , giving her a crucial edge in tight tiebreak situations.

The round also saw China’s Zhu Jiner hold Ukraine’s Anna Muzychuk to a draw. Both remain unbeaten in classical play, with Muzychuk standing out as one of the most resilient performers with six straight draws and four Armageddon wins , taking her to 8 points .

Zhu Jiner is on 7 points , having suffered one loss but compensating with strong Armageddon results, including four tiebreak wins that keep her in the mid-table fight.

India’s Koneru Humpy shared the point with Assaubayeva and remains on 5.5 points , with one loss and five draws, but only one Armageddon win limiting her rise in the standings.

A defining feature of the tournament so far has been the decisive role of Armageddon tiebreaks , where Assaubayeva has maximised her opportunities, while Ju Wenjun remains without an Armageddon win despite strong classical stability.

With six rounds completed, the standings remain tightly packed at the top, ensuring a closely contested battle in the final phase of the tournament, with Divya still very much in the title race.