In an unexpected change of events, Fabiano Caruana, the current leader in the competition, was defeated by rising talent Grandmaster D Gukesh of India on Tuesday. This victory came in the 7th round of the 2023 Norway Chess tournament.
The 17-year-old prodigy held Caruana to a draw in the Classical match by displaying his poise and talent. However, Gukesh’s circumstances took a surprising turn during the Armageddon phase. Despite being in a challenging situation during the queen endgame, luck was on his side as Caruana gave in to time pressure, losing to the American grandmaster.
Time management has been a problem for Caruana throughout the competition, and it persisted in this round. Despite defeating GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov in the Classical game the day before, Caruana’s sluggish play almost cost him the match.
Caruana said, “The time control is such that once you get into time trouble, you never get out, and when it’s very complicated. you just are out of control,” when asked about his time problems. I was ultimately out of control, yet it all worked out. His comments clarified the challenges encountered when juggling time restraints at pivotal times.
Despite the loss, Caruana continues to hold the single tournament lead with a stellar score of 14.5/21. After an exhilarating Armageddon triumph over Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, marked by a back-and-forth struggle, Hikaru Nakamura is closely behind in second position with 12.5/21.
With this triumph, Gukesh amassed a score of 10/21, moving him up to fifth place in the standings. His earlier victory over Dutch GM Anish Giri, the reigning Tata Steel Chess champion, epitomized his stellar play throughout the competition. Thursday’s match against Aryan Tari is Gukesh’s next obstacle; Wednesday is a rest day.
The effort of five-time World Champion Magnus Carlsen to win a Classical game is one of the tournament’s unforgettable stories. Carlsen’s losing run continued when he conceded a draw to Alireza Firouzja in the most recent round. But in the Armageddon phase, Carlsen showed off his skills, outwitting Firouzja and winning a vital game. Carlsen now holds down the seventh spot with a 9/21 score. Notably, he chose not to compete in the World Championships this year.
Nodirbek Abdusattorov suffered his third overall defeat in Classical games and his second loss in the competition. Wesley So moved up to third place in the standings with a score of 10.5/21 thanks to this defeat.
The thrilling matches and unexpected results of the Norway Chess tournament continue to enthrall viewers across the world. The contestants’ strategic acumen and capacity for dealing with time constraints will play crucial roles in choosing the eventual winner as the game develops.