Carlsen dazzles, Nakamura, Humpy win @ Norway Chess
World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen dazzled in bringing down world champion Gukesh Dommaraju in the opener at the Altibox Norway Chess 2025 in Stavanger. Also winning their first round matches were GMs Hikaru Nakamura and Koneru Humpy against Fabiano Caruana and Vaishali Rameshbabu respectively. Rest of the games went to the armageddon where Erigaisi Arjun, Anna Muzychuk and Lei Tingjie emerged winners.
In their first meeting after Gukesh became the youngest world champion, it was the Goliath who scored over David. The king hunt by the “Chess King” himself against world champion Gukesh Dommaraju is going to be remembered for long. After hours of battle the climax was reached when both the players promoted their pawns one after the other. With both kings exposed it would have been wiser to come out with a draw by perpetual. It was here the young Indian slipped going in for 46…Qh6+ that helped white king slip away, enabling a famous win for the Norwegian.
For sometime now it has been Hikaru who goes one up against his countryman. In key encounters the World No. 2 manages to outwit Fabiano and today was no different. The game rose from the Slav Defense Exchange Variation and early into the middle game appeared to be heading for a draw. Hikaru speaking on the confessional box Fabiano skipped draw going for more. But then it was not to be for the Italian-American who lost the battle in time-trouble. The final hour of play saw Hikaru latching on the chance that came his way winding up the marathon game in 78 moves.
Round 2 starts by Tuesday 27th May at 11AM ET / 5PM CET / 8.30PM IST.
Carlsen Magnus (2837) – Gukesh Dommaraju (2787) d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 Bg4 5. Be2 Bxe2 6. Ncxe2 Nc6 7. Nf3 e6 8. c3 Be7 9. Ng3 O-O 10. Qe2 h6 11. Rd1 Qa5 12. a3 Rfd8 13. h4 Qa4 14. Ne5 Nxe5 15. Bxe5 Nd7 16. Bf4 Qa6 17. Qf3 Bd6 18. Nh5 Bxf4 19. Qxf4 e5 20. Qg3 Qg6 21. Qxg6 fxg6 22. Ng3 exd4 23. cxd4 c4 24. Ne2 b5 25. Nc3 Nf6 26. Rb1 Rab8 27. f3 a5 28. b4 cxb3 29. Rxb3 b4 30. axb4 Rxb4 31. Ra3 Re8 32. Kd2 Rb2+ 33. Kd3 Rxg2 34. Rxa5 Rg3 35. Rf1 g5 36. hxg5 Rxg5 37. Rfa1 h5 38. Ra8 Rxa8 39. Rxa8+ Kh7 40. e4 dxe4+ 41. fxe4 h4 42. e5 h3 43. exf6 h2 44. f7 Rg3+ 45. Kd2 h1=Q 46. f8=Q (Now comes the turning point where the milli seconds on either players clock turns out fatal for one)
46…Qh6+ ? (with 46…Rg2+ black can bail himself out with perpetual checks) 47. Kc2 Qg6+ 48. Kb2 Qb6+ 49. Ka2 Rg2+ 50. Ka3 Qb2+ 51. Ka4 Qxc3 52. Qh8+ Kg6 53. Ra6+ Kf5 54. Qf8+ Ke4 55. Re6+ Kd5 1-0
Caruana Fabiano (2776) – Nakamura Hikaru (2804) d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bf4 Nc6 6. e3 a6 7. Nf3 Bg4 8. h3 Bxf3 9. Qxf3 e6 10. Bd3 Bd6 11. Bg5 Be7 12. O-O O-O 13. Rac1 h6 14. Bh4 Ne8 15. Bg3 Bd6 16. Na4 Bxg3 17. Qxg3 Nd6 18. Nc5 Rc8 19. a3 a5 20. Qg4 Qe7 21. Qd1 b6 22. Na4 b5 23. Nc3 Na7 24. Qe2 Qd7 25. b3 Rc6 26. Rc2 Rfc8 27. Rfc1 g6 28. h4 Kg7 29. g3 R8c7 30. Qd2 Qc8 31. Ne2 Rxc2 32. Rxc2 Rxc2 33. Bxc2 Nc6 34. Qc3 b4 35. axb4 Nxb4 36. Qxc8 Nxc8 37. Bb1 Nd6 38. Nc3 f5 39. f3 g5 40. hxg5 hxg5 41. Kf2 Nc6 42. Bd3 Kf6 43. f4 Nb4 44. Ke2 g4 45. Kd2 Ke7 46. Bb5 Kd8 47. Ba4 Na6 48. Bb5 Nc7 49. Bc6 Kc8 50. Ke2 Kd8 51. Kd2 Na6 52. Ba4 Ke7 53. Bb5 Nb4 54. Ba4 Nf7 55. Bb5 Nh6 56. Bd3 Ng8 57. Bb1 Nf6 58. Ke1 Kd6 59. Na4 Nd7 60. Ke2 Kc6 61. Ke1 Na6 62. Bd3 Nc7 63. Nc3 Nf6 64. Na4 Nce8 65. Nc5 Ng7
66. Na4? (A time scramble move that let Fabi down. 66. Ke2 holds) Ne4 67. Bxe4 fxe4 68. Nc3 Nf5 69. Kf2 Kb6 70. Na4+ Kb5 71. Nc5 Kb4 72. Nb7 Kxb3 73. Nxa5+ Kc3 74. Nb7 Kd2 75. Nc5 Nxe3 76. Nb3+ Kc3 77. Nc5 Nf5 78. Nxe6 Kd2 0-1
Norway Chess (Round 1 Results): Wei Yi drew with Erigaisi Arjun, Caruana Fabiano lost to Nakamura Hikaru, Carlsen Magnus beat Gukesh Dommaraju.
Norway Chess Women (Round 1 Results): Muzychuk Anna drew with Khademalsharieh Sarasadat, Koneru Humpy beat Vaishali Rameshbabu, Lei Tingjie drew with Ju Wenjun.
Photo Courtesy : Norway Chess / Stev Bonhage.
Official Site: https://norwaychess.no/en/
