World Champion Gukesh to take on Carlsen in opening round of Norway Chess

Top Indian chess players Gukesh and Erigaisi face off against world champions like Carlsen and Nakamura in prestigious Norway Chess tournament.

Possessing the ability to trump the fiercest rivals in the classical chess style, world champion D. Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi will spearhead India’s challenge at the Norway Chess tournament, where they will compete against the likes of Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura from Modnday (May 26, 2025).

Gukesh will take on world No.1 Carlsen in the opening round in what should be one of the most keenly contested matches in the tournament, while first-timer Erigaisi will open his campaign against Wei Yi of China.

In the women’s section, two-time World Rapid champion Koneru Humpy will play country-mate R Vaishali in the first round.

Norway Chess, comprising of six players in 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 is the first time India have two players in the men’s section, raising hopes of going all the way and clinching a maiden title for India in the tournament, which was first played in 2013. At that time, it featured 10 of the best players in the field, including five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand.

Anand, who has played the tournament more than half-a-dozen times and finished runner-up in 2015, had recently said that he expected a “very exciting battle” as both Gukesh and Erigaisi will not lack motivation or the determination to go after five-time world champion Carlsen, who has won half a dozen titles here.

The presence of four Indians in the field also speaks about the growth of chess in the country though the task of getting past the likes of Carlsen and American Grandmasters Nakamura and the Chinese women’s duo of Ju Wenjun and Lie Tingjie is easier said than done.