Anna Muzychuk has reclaimed the lead at the Norway Women’s Chess tournament with a critical victory over reigning world champion Ju Wenjun. Heading into the final round, Muzychuk now holds a two-point lead over Indian Grandmaster Humpy Koneru, who suffered a costly blunder in her match against Lei Tingjie.
The penultimate round of this emerging tournament was anything but quiet. All three games produced winners in classical time control, underscoring the competitive intensity on display.
The highlight of the round came from Muzychuk’s performance against Ju Wenjun. Playing with the black pieces, Ju opened with the English Opening. Muzychuk responded boldly, sacrificing material for positional pressure. Her daring exchange sacrifice allowed her to seize the initiative and gradually apply mounting pressure. Ju was unable to neutralize the threats, and Muzychuk ultimately converted her advantage into a decisive win.
Meanwhile, Humpy Koneru, who had led the standings before this round, was paired with black against China’s Lei Tingjie. The two entered the Exchange Variation of the Queen’s Gambit, with both opting for long castling—a sign of sharp intentions on both sides.
Koneru found herself in a promising position with chances for a strong attack. She identified the correct strategic approach but faltered in execution, misplaying with a bishop move that overlooked a precise tactical response by Lei. That response cost Koneru a piece and, eventually, the game—an unfortunate turn that dramatically altered the leaderboard.
As the final round approaches, all eyes will be on Muzychuk, who now controls her own destiny in this tightly contested tournament.
