D Gukesh downed Vincent Keymer after a bruising battle, while R Praggnanandhaa defeated Alireza Firouzja in Round One of Norway Chess here. Thanks to his Armageddon triumph after a 144-move slugfest that lasted nearly five hours, Gukesh pocketed 1.5 points.

Meanwhile, Praggnanandhaa and America’s Wesley So produced a hard-fought classical draw before the Indian Grandmaster prevailed in the Armageddon tie-break with a sharp attacking display to pocket 1.5 points.