Magnus Carlsen Triumphs on Norway Chess Return, Bests World Champion Gukesh
Magnus Carlsen made a triumphant return to classical chess by overcoming reigning champion Gukesh Dommaraju at Norway Chess 2025. Despite a 12-month hiatus, Carlsen exhibited top form. Other event highlights included notable victories by Hikaru Nakamura, Arjun Erigaisi, and Koneru Humpy in their respective matches.
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In an electrifying start at Norway Chess 2025, Magnus Carlsen launched a tactical masterclass to vanquish reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju in their eagerly anticipated matchup. This encounter marked Carlsen's return to classical chess after a year-long hiatus, showcasing no signs of diminished prowess.
Carlsen spoke highly of Gukesh's ambitions, noting, "He's also an ambitious player, so I thought we're not necessarily going to get a totally flat game just because he's at least equalised from the opening," as noted in commentary with Chess.com.
While Carlsen downplayed any extra significance in defeating the current world champion, he acknowledged the difficulty of securing victories at this tournament. Meanwhile, Hikaru Nakamura expertly navigated Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana's time missteps to claim victory. Arjun Erigaisi impressed with a win over Wei Yi in the armageddon round, highlighting his Norway Chess debut.
In women's competition, Koneru Humpy emerged victorious in her classical match against Vaishali Rameshbabu, capitalizing on a crucial mistake. Other games moved to armageddon play, where Anna Muzychuk and Lei Tingjie secured wins against Sara Khadem and Ju Wenjun, respectively, adding further intrigue to the tournament's opening round. (ANI)
(With inputs from agencies.)
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