Last Updated:May 25, 2025, 22:13 IST
Gukesh faces Carlsen while Erigaisi meets Wei Yi in a blockbuster Norway Chess opener for India.
Magnus Carlsen (L) will be up against D Gukesh (R).
World champion D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi, who possess the ability to outperform the fiercest rivals in classical chess, will lead India’s challenge at the Norway Chess tournament. They will compete against top players like Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura starting Monday.
Gukesh will face world No.1 Carlsen in the opening round, which promises to be one of the most keenly contested matches of the tournament. Meanwhile, first-time participant Erigaisi will begin his campaign against China’s Wei Yi.
In the women’s section, two-time World Rapid champion Koneru Humpy will play against her compatriot R Vaishali in the first round.
Norway Chess, featuring six players in both the men’s and women’s sections and played in a double round-robin format, is one of the most prestigious events on the chess calendar.
This year marks the first time India has two players in the men’s section, raising hopes of securing a maiden title for the country in this tournament, first held in
The inaugural event included 10 of the best players, among them five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand.
Anand, who has competed in the tournament more than six times and finished runner-up in 2015, recently expressed his anticipation for a “very exciting battle.” He believes both Gukesh and Erigaisi have the motivation and determination to challenge five-time world champion Carlsen, who has won six titles here.
The participation of four Indian players highlights the growth of chess in the country, although overcoming opponents like Carlsen, American Grandmasters Nakamura, and Chinese women’s duo Ju Wenjun and Lie Tingjie will be a formidable task.
Nakamura is ranked second in the world behind Carlsen and is particularly challenging if the game reaches the Armageddon format in the event of a stalemate.
Gukesh (world No.3) and Erigaisi (No.4) are ranked below Nakamura, needing immense grit and endurance to penetrate the defenses of Carlsen and Nakamura.
Following his world title-winning feat against China’s Ding Liren in Singapore last year, Gukesh is in pursuit of this elusive title. He faced struggles in the Freestyle chess tournament in Paris and lost the Tata Steel Masters title to compatriot R Praggnanandhaa earlier this year. Additionally, the Chennai teenager did not impress in the Superbet Classic in Bucharest recently, where Praggnanandhaa claimed the title.
Despite his recent slump since winning the world title, Gukesh is expected to regain his form soon. Praggnanandhaa, on the other hand, has been in exceptional form this year.
In the women’s category introduced last year, Koneru Humpy and R Vaishali will compete against Chinese heavyweights Ju Wenjun and her challenger Tan Zhongyi. Humpy’s clash with Wenjun could be pivotal in deciding the title, given Humpy’s sustained competitive fire over two decades, as evidenced by her second world rapid title win in New York late last year.
The tournament offers equal prize money, which is rare in chess events and could motivate women competitors. The total prize fund is around USD 162,681.
Men: Magnus Carlsen (Nor), Hikaru Nakamura (USA), D Gukesh (Ind), Arjun Erigaisi (Ind), Fabiano Caruana (USA), Wei Yi (Chn).
Women: Ju Wenjun (Chn), Lie Tingjie (Chn), Koneru Humpy (Ind), Anna Muzychuk (Ukr), R Vaishali (Ind), Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (Esp).
(with PTI Inputs)
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