World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen dealt a significant blow to reigning World Champion D. Gukesh's prospects in the opening round of Norway Chess, showcasing his endgame skills to secure three full points. This highly anticipated match featured the five-time world champion competing against an opponent half his age. Gukesh applied pressure on the Norwegian defending champion for most of the over four-hour classical game but ultimately made a critical mistake, leading to his defeat in 55 moves.
With this victory, Carlsen earned three points and shares the lead with American Grandmaster and world No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura, who triumphed over fellow American GM Fabiano Caruana. Meanwhile, the second Indian competitor, Arjun Erigaisi, claimed victory against China's top player, Wei Yi, in a thrilling Armageddon game after their classical match ended in a draw.
Erigaisi earned 1.5 points from his victory, while Wei received one point. The tournament's scoring system awards three points to the winner in the Classical format. If a classical game ends in a draw, both players receive one point and then compete for an additional half-point in Armageddon. In an all-Indian matchup, two-time World Rapid champion Koneru Humpy achieved a decisive victory over R. Vaishali. Displaying her usual calm and precision, Humpy took advantage of her opponent's mistake in the endgame. The match between Carlsen and Gukesh was intense, with the Norwegian, playing as White, applying pressure on his opponent to force an error in the endgame, ultimately securing the win. Carlsen, who has not participated in an individual classical event since winning the Norway Chess 2024 title, started off less favorably, acknowledging that his choice to play the Jobava London opening did not go as intended.
"I just realized I don’t know anything," Carlsen admitted. The Norwegian attempted to unsettle Gukesh with an unconventional opening but quickly recognized that his strategy was ineffective. By the 11th move, Gukesh, playing with the black pieces, had effectively neutralized Carlsen's advantage as White, forcing the five-time world champion to think for over 15 minutes. Despite having shifted his focus to shorter formats like Rapid, Blitz, and, more recently, Freestyle chess, Carlsen demonstrated that he still excels in classical chess, ultimately winning the match after 55 captivating moves. "I tried to surprise him with the opening. I responded in the absolute wussiest way possible, which is often how you do in the first round," the 34-year-old Carlsen remarked. Gukesh later offered a pawn sacrifice, but Carlsen opted for an endgame strategy that has been the foundation of his success in the chess world.
“It’s still quite balanced, but there’s a slight imbalance due to his pawn structure being somewhat compromised,” Carlsen remarked after the match. He acknowledged that Gukesh “performed exceptionally well for a long time” but noted that when a pawn race ensued, the stakes of each move increased dramatically. When asked if defeating the reigning world champion was significant for him, Carlsen downplayed the achievement, stating, “Not necessarily, but every victory in this tournament is hard-earned, so I’m pleased with that.” Earlier, Erigaisi made a strong impression in the first round by defeating his Chinese opponent, Wei Yi, in Armageddon after they had agreed to a draw. While the focus was on the match between India’s teenage world champion D. Gukesh and world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, Erigaisi, ranked No. 4 globally, was the first to secure points by overcoming China’s top player, Wei, in Armageddon after their 54-move draw.
Erigaisi, playing as Black, adopted an aggressive strategy that led to a draw in the match before ultimately defeating his opponent on time during Armageddon. He is set to face Gukesh in the second round on Tuesday. This year's Norway Chess tournament features the top six players in both the open and women's categories. The men's lineup includes Gukesh, Carlsen, Caruana, Nakamura, Erigaisi, and Wei Yi. In the women's section, reigning world champion Ju Wenjun is accompanied by Lei Tingjie, Humpy, Anna Muzychuk, Vaishali, and Sarasadat Khademalsharieh. Both tournaments utilize a six-player double round-robin format and offer equal prize funds, underscoring a strong commitment to gender equality in chess.
Results: (Open) Wei Yi (CHN 1) drew with Arjun Erigaisi (1.5); Fabiano Caruana (USA – 0) lost to Hikaru Nakamura (USA – 3); Magnus Carlsen (NOR – 3) defeated D. Gukesh (IND – 0).
