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Magnus Carlsen defeats reigning world champion D Gukesh in Norway Chess opener, while Arjun Erigaisi and Koneru Humpy also secure key victories.
World No.1 Magnus Carlsen delivered a significant setback to reigning World Champion D Gukesh in the opening round of the Norway Chess tournament, showcasing his renowned endgame skills to secure a full three points. The much-anticipated clash between the five-time world champion and the young Indian star lasted over four hours, with Gukesh applying pressure for most of the game before making a critical mistake in the 55th move.
Carlsen, playing with the white pieces, patiently maneuvered the game into a favorable endgame scenario, capitalizing on a compromised pawn structure. “It’s still fairly equal, but there’s this small imbalance as his pawn structure is a little bit ruined,” Carlsen explained post-match.
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He praised Gukesh’s performance, adding, “He did really, really well for a long time (in the game).” When asked about the significance of defeating the reigning champion, Carlsen modestly replied, “Not necessarily, but every win in this tournament is hard to come by, so I'm happy with that.”
The Norwegian admitted that his opening choice, the rarely-used Jobava London system, did not pan out as intended. “I just realised I don't know anything,” he confessed. Gukesh effectively neutralized Carlsen’s white advantage by the 11th move, even forcing Carlsen to think for over 15 minutes. However, Carlsen’s experience in classical chess ultimately prevailed.
Arjun Erigaisi Shines with Armageddon Win Over Wei Yi
In another thrilling encounter, India’s Arjun Erigaisi claimed victory over China’s No.1 Wei Yi in an Armageddon tiebreak after the classical game ended in a draw. Erigaisi, ranked No.4 globally, played aggressively with the black pieces to secure the draw and then outlasted Wei on the clock in the sudden-death format.
Erigaisi earned 1.5 points from the encounter, while Wei took home one point. The tournament awards three points for a classical win, and if the classical game is drawn, each player receives one point before battling for an additional half-point in Armageddon.
Erigaisi is set to face Gukesh in the second round, adding more excitement to the India-Norway chess rivalry.
Koneru Humpy Triumphs in All-Indian Women’s Match
Two-time World Rapid champion Koneru Humpy recorded a decisive victory against R. Vaishali in an intense all-Indian women’s match. Known for her calm and precise play, Humpy capitalized on a critical mistake by Vaishali in the endgame to claim full points.
The Norway Chess tournament features a strong field with six top players each in the Open and Women’s categories. The men’s competition includes Gukesh, Carlsen, Caruana, Nakamura, Erigaisi, and Wei Yi. The women’s section boasts reigning World Champion Ju Wenjun alongside Lei Tingjie, Koneru Humpy, Anna Muzychuk, Vaishali, and Sarasadat Khademalsharieh.
Both categories follow a six-player double round-robin format with equal prize money, underlining the event’s commitment to gender equality in chess.
Norway Chess 2025 - Round 1 Results:
Open:
Magnus Carlsen (Nor) 3 – 0 D Gukesh (Ind)
Hikaru Nakamura (USA) 3 – 0 Fabiano Caruana (USA)
Arjun Erigaisi (Ind) 1.5 – 1 Wei Yi (Chn)
Women:
Koneru Humpy defeated R. Vaishali in a classical game
