World champion D Gukesh will be the cynosure of all Indian eyes alongside compatriots Arjun Erigaisi, Koneru Humpy and Vaishali Rameshbabu, as they commence their campaign at the prestigious Norway Chess 2025 tournament in Stavanger on Monday (May 26). Watch the chess event live online. One of the world's premier fixtures in the sport, the competition brings together the top male and female players in a distinctive six-player, double round-robin format and will be held from May 26 to June 6. (More Chess News)
Norway Chess 2025: Indian Interest
The tournament opens in blockbuster fashion, with the 18-year-old Gukesh taking on world number one Magnus Carlsen for the first time this year in the classical format. Meanwhile, first-timer Erigaisi will open his campaign against Wei Yi of China, and in the women’s section, two-time world rapid champion Humpy will play Vaishali in the first round.
Speaking about taking on the Norwegian icon Carlsen in his backyard, Gukesh said, “I feel great being here (in Stavanger). I’ve had good memories from Norway. I am sure playing Magnus here in a classical game will be a fun challenge. Also, for the spectators, it is about the world champion versus the No.1 player in the world. It surely sounds very exciting so it’s surely something I am very happy to give, myself and the chess fans. And I hope it will be a treat.”
The last time Gukesh participated in Norway Chess was in 2023 where he finished third, securing the crucial FIDE Circuit points needed to qualify for the 2024 Candidates Tournament. This achievement made him the third-youngest player in history to qualify for a Candidates tournament, following in the footsteps of Bobby Fischer and Magnus Carlsen.
By August 2023, Gukesh shattered another record, becoming the youngest player ever to achieve a rating of 2750. A month later, in September 2023, he surpassed Viswanathan Anand as India’s top-ranked player, marking the first time in 37 years that someone other than Anand held this distinction.
He was on song in 2024 starting the year with first-place finish at Tata Steel Masters in January, he dominated the Candidates Tournament, securing his spot in the World Chess Championship match. At the Olympiad, he led Team India to gold while earning an individual gold medal on board one with an outstanding performance.
Elaborating on keeping up with the expectations particularly after his recent success, Gukesh said, “It is a new level. But when I see it as a challenge to prove to myself that I can handle this. Even though the expectations are high, I can meet them if I keep working hard and doing my best.”
Norway Chess 2025: Other Players In Fray
Among the challenges in a classical game, Gukesh feels one of the things to be vary about is fighting his own thoughts. “In a classical game, you end up playing five hours and those are the times you cannot be fully thinking about the game. I think there are random thoughts that come into our mind but the important thing is to stay in the game and come back to those thoughts later. This is the purpose of the note that you're making. And you can’t afford to allow weak moments,” he explained.
Norway Chess has a particularly strong line-up, including Hikaru Nakamura (USA), Fabiano Caruana (USA), Wei Yi (China) and in the women's section Ju Wenjun (China), Lei Tingjie (China), Anna Muzychuk (Ukraine) and Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (Spain) will be in the fray.
Norway Chess 2025: Equal Prize Money For Men And Women
The introduction of Norway Chess Women in 2024, with equal prize funds for men and women, underscores the event's commitment to gender equality. "The equal prize money being offered is very encouraging. I think it is a huge success and hugely inspiring, not just for women in chess, but for women in sports overall. It's really encouraging more women to get into chess and provides a great platform for us," defending champion Ju Wenjun said.
Norway Chess 2025: Schedule And Pairings
Norway Chess 2025: Live Streaming Details
When and where will Norway Chess 2025 be held?
Norway Chess 2025 will be played from May 26 to June 6 in Stavanger, Norway. The games begin at 8:30pm IST everyday.
Where will Norway Chess 2025 be telecast and live streamed?
Norway Chess 2025 will be live streamed on the Sony Liv app and website in India. It will not be telecast on any TV channel in the country.
