The Norway Chess Tournament 2025 has reached a thrilling juncture. In the eighth round, American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura halted the winning streak of India's young Grandmaster and reigning World Champion, D. Gukesh, in the classical format.
Sports News: Mixed news emerged for Indian chess enthusiasts at the Norway Chess Tournament 2025. American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura broke Indian World Champion D. Gukesh's winning streak in the classical format, securing a full three points. This is a setback for Gukesh, who had demonstrated excellent performance in the classical format in recent months.
Meanwhile, India's young star Arjun Erigaisi made a b comeback in the tournament's title race by defeating former World Championship challenger Fabiano Caruana.
Nakamura Defeats Gukesh
While D. Gukesh started the tournament slowly, he made a remarkable comeback with consecutive wins. He defeated giants like Magnus Carlsen and Arjun Erigaisi in the sixth and seventh rounds respectively, showcasing his prowess in the classical format. However, in the eighth round, Gukesh faced Hikaru Nakamura. The match lasted nearly four hours, but Nakamura maintained pressure on Gukesh with great skill and experience.
Gukesh didn't get a single counter-attacking opportunity, and ultimately Nakamura defeated him, securing three full points. This victory strengthened Nakamura's position in the tournament and halted Gukesh's winning momentum.
Erigaisi's Comeback Adds New Momentum to the Tournament
Another promising Indian chess star, Arjun Erigaisi, surprised everyone with his performance. He achieved a significant victory by defeating Fabiano Caruana, who was leading the tournament standings, in a 'time' format game. Erigaisi played with white pieces and adopted an aggressive approach from the beginning. This match was played under time control, where players have a fixed time to make their moves.
Erigaisi capitalized on a mistake by Caruana to secure the win. This victory propelled Erigaisi to fifth place with 10.5 points, and he remains in contention for the title.
Standings: A Close Race at the Top
After the eighth round, the tournament standings show a tight competition:
- Fabiano Caruana: 12.5 points (still leading)
- Magnus Carlsen: 12 points (second after losing to Wei Yi of China in an Armageddon game)
- D. Gukesh and Hikaru Nakamura: 11.5 points (tied for third)
- Arjun Erigaisi: 10.5 points (fifth place)
Although Caruana has a lead in the standings, his loss has re-energized the other players in their pursuit of the title.
The Remaining Two Rounds Will Be Decisive
Only two rounds remain in the tournament, and the situation is such that any player could win with a b finish. Gukesh, who had displayed calm and composed play until now, will need to adjust his strategy after his loss to Nakamura. Erigaisi, who appeared somewhat subdued initially, has now sounded a warning with his aggressive and precise play.
Carlsen's situation is also interesting. Despite his tie-break loss to Wei Yi, he remains in the top three, and his wins in the upcoming matches could change the direction of the tournament.
