Gukesh Eyes Historic Win At Norway Chess After Strong Comeback

4 days ago 10

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Last Updated:May 30, 2025, 22:01 IST

D. Gukesh aims to end his cycle of disappointments in Norway Chess after a poor start.

D. Gukesh’s unpredictable start in Norway Chess appears to have turned more assured and positive as he aims to end the cycle of disappointments since winning the world title in December last year.

Gukesh began poorly, losing the first two rounds of Classical chess, but rebounded by defeating American world No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura and then tying with another American, Fabiano Caruana, in the Armageddon tie-break. This placed him in joint fourth position going into the first rest day of the prestigious tournament.

On Friday, as the six participants engaged in recreational activities on the city’s outskirts, including roping dummy livestock, shooting practice, and axe-throwing competitions, Gukesh would have realized he has a realistic chance of becoming the first Indian to win the tournament.

Currently tied in fourth place with fellow Indian Arjun Erigaisi at 4.5 points, Gukesh is set to face Wei Yi in Round. Given that the Chinese No. 1, with 4 points, is at the bottom of the standings, Gukesh may see this as a chance to earn three full points.

Despite the looming presence of local hero Magnus Carlsen in this six-player double round-robin tournament, this is Gukesh’s best opportunity to catch up with the defending champion, who leads with eight points. This will also prepare Gukesh for the subsequent rounds, especially the reverse match against Carlsen, who defeated him in an exciting opening-round game.

Gukesh seems to have addressed his time pressure issues, which contributed to his initial losses against Carlsen and Erigaisi. After defeating Nakamura in Round 3, he remarked that his time management had improved compared to before in the Classical game against Nakamura.

In the Armageddon tie-break against Caruana, Gukesh demonstrated that he is capable of competing in the time-controlled format, showcasing his strengths beyond Classical chess.

On the other hand, Erigaisi’s progress has been hindered by setbacks when it should have gained momentum following victories against Wei Yi (Armageddon tie-break) and Gukesh (Classical). Defeats to Caruana and Carlsen in Rounds 3 and 4 have been disappointing for the 21-year-old, but he must find ways to win if he wants to make an impact in his debut here. Erigaisi will face Nakamura in Round 5 and will hope that his strategy of putting early pressure on his opponent with rapid moves will give him an edge, as the American is a renowned rapid and blitz chess player.

Pairings (Round 5):

(Open)

Arjun Erigaisi vs Hikaru Nakamura;
Wei Yi vs D Gukesh;
Fabiano Caruana vs Magnus Carlsen.

(Women)

Sara Khadem vs R. Vaishali;
Anna Muzychuk vs Ju Wenjun;
Koneru Humpy vs Lei Tingjie.

(With PTI Inputs)

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