Carlsen Wins Norway Chess 2025

Friday evening was not just about deciding a chess title, but also about who could bear the pressure of the final round. Norway Chess 2025 turned into a psychological drama, with Magnus Carlsen emerging as the winner. He drew his game with Arjun Erigaisi, while Gukesh lost to Fabiano Caruana. This result gave the Norwegian his seventh win at the home event—but euphoria was nowhere to be found. “It was more of a relief than joy,” he admitted.

Carlsen went through several rough patches during the tournament. His deepest crisis came in round six, when he lost to Gukesh from a completely winning position. In frustration, he banged the table and later had to pull over in his car on the way home just to catch his breath. “That was the strongest emotion I felt all week. Winning is great, but I was mostly just relieved to get it over with,” he said openly.

The decisive moment came in the final-round draw against Arjun Erigaisi. In a razor-sharp game, Carlsen sacrificed his queen and, according to computer evaluation, was practically lost at one point.

At one moment, the Norwegian was objectively losing—but Arjun missed several key moves, allowing Carlsen to get back into the game. Toward the end, once Magnus realized that Gukesh was losing on board two, he offered a draw—securing the title.

While Carlsen could finally exhale, 18-year-old Gukesh left the tournament broken. He had entered the final round with a real chance at victory, trailing the leader by only half a point and playing with the white pieces against Caruana. But in a critical moment, he overlooked a simple tactical shot—a knight fork on his queen and rook—and all hope was gone. After the game, he left the hall without a word, escorted by security, his face buried in his hands.

His opponent, Fabiano Caruana, moved into second place with the win, but even he wasn’t satisfied. After the tournament, he said he believed he could have won the whole event. “Magnus had problems during the tournament,” Caruana remarked. “Second place isn’t bad, but first place was within reach.”

Gukesh finished third, followed by Hikaru Nakamura in fourth. Nakamura had also hoped to win, but a draw with Chinese grandmaster Wei Yi dashed those dreams. During the game, he frequently buried his face in his hands—it was clear the pressure of the final day weighed heavily on him too.

Norway Chess 2025 – Final Standings (Open):

• Magnus Carlsen (Norway) – 16.0

• Fabiano Caruana (USA) – 15.5

• Gukesh Dommaraju (India) – 14.5

• Hikaru Nakamura (USA) – 14.0

• Arjun Erigaisi (India) – 13.0

• Wei Yi (China) – 9.5

Magnus Carlsen has once again proven that even at a time when chess no longer truly fulfills him, he remains the best. His victory in Norway was not about dominance, but about surviving key moments. While Gukesh crumbled under pressure and Caruana missed his chance, Carlsen returned to his greatest strength—the ability to survive and win, even when everything seems to be going against him.

Whether he will return to classical chess again remains uncertain. Perhaps Stavanger marked the final chapter of his serious tournament play. If so, he said goodbye with a victory—not the most beautiful one, but the most human.