Fagernes International 2026: Harshavardhan Shares First Place

India's GM Harshavardhan G B shared first place at the Fagernes International Autumn 2026 with 7.5/10, after beating leader Christian Gloeckler in the final round.

India's GM Harshavardhan G B has finished in a share of first place at the Fagernes International Autumn 2026 in Norway. He scored 7.5 points from 10 games, level with GM Rinat Jumabayev of Kazakhstan and GM Tiger Hillarp Persson of Sweden.

Harshavardhan's finish was superb. He won his last three games in a row. In round 8 he beat IM Apaar Saxena, in round 9 he beat GM Vitaly Sivuk, and in the final round he beat the tournament leader, IM Christian Gloeckler, in 50 moves of the Queen's Gambit Declined.

Gloeckler had led for most of the event, but two losses in the final rounds dropped him to 6.5 points. Jumabayev drew his last game with India's GM Krishnan Sasikiran, and Hillarp Persson finished with an excellent win over Norwegian GM Frode Olav Olsen Urkedal.

Sasikiran took fourth place with 7 points, a strong result after his early loss. Young Indian IM Moksh Amit Doshi finished on 6.5 points, and his wins included one against GM Dronavalli Harika in round 9.

It was another excellent tournament for Indian chess in Norway, with many Indian players taking part and several finishing near the top.

Harshavardhan's last three rounds hold a lesson every student should remember. After losing to Hillarp Persson in round 4, he did not give up on the tournament. He kept playing good chess, and when the chance came in the final rounds he took it, three times in a row. The end of a tournament is when tired players make mistakes, and players who stay focused are rewarded.

Gloeckler's tournament, meanwhile, shows how hard it is to stay in front. He played brilliantly for most of the event and still finished among the leading group. Every player, even a leader, needs to keep going until the very last move.

Congratulations to Harshavardhan, Jumabayev and Hillarp Persson.