Caruana's in Charge, But Gukesh's Comeback is the Real Story!

Caruana Leads, Gukesh Wins Another Turnaround

The Norway Chess 2025 tournament continues to deliver thrilling chess action! Round seven saw significant shifts in the leaderboard, with GM Fabiano Caruana seizing the lead in the Open section and GM Gukesh Dommaraju continuing his remarkable run.

In the Women's Norway Chess 2025, GM Ju Wenjun has surged ahead, claiming the sole lead after securing her first classical win of the tournament.

Round eight promises even more excitement, scheduled to begin on Tuesday, June 3, at 11 a.m. ET / 17:00 CEST / 8:30 p.m. IST.

Norway Chess Round 7 Results: A Decisive Day

Round seven proved to be the most decisive day of Norway Chess 2025 thus far, with an impressive four classical wins. Gukesh, Caruana, Ju, and Lei all emerged victorious in their respective mini-matches, earning the coveted three points.

Open: Caruana Ascends, Gukesh's Unstoppable Streak Continues

Fabiano Caruana has catapulted himself into the top spot after a commanding performance. However, with the three-point system for classical wins, the tournament is far from over, and further twists and turns are anticipated.

Norway Chess Standings After Round 7 (Open)

• Caruana: Leading with a strong performance.
• Gukesh: Close behind, showcasing incredible resilience.
• Carlsen: Slipped to third, but still a formidable contender.

Carlsen 1.5-1 Nakamura

Following his crushing defeat the previous day, Magnus Carlsen's table slam sparked considerable debate within the chess community. While some understood his frustration, others deemed it unacceptable. Carlsen himself addressed the incident, expressing regret and suggesting that avoiding classical games might prevent similar occurrences in the future.

The classical game between Carlsen and Nakamura ended in a quick draw, with Nakamura hinting that it might be their last classical encounter. Both players have reduced their classical chess activity, focusing more on speed chess and Freestyle Chess events.

In the armageddon game, Carlsen sacrificed a piece early, leading to a dynamic battle where Nakamura initially equalized but ultimately succumbed to Carlsen's superior endgame skills.

Carlsen expressed his lack of enjoyment in the tournament, raising questions about his future participation.

Gukesh 3-0 Arjun

Gukesh's remarkable victory over Carlsen in the previous round generated widespread attention, even earning praise from India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Against Arjun Erigaisi, Gukesh once again found himself in a difficult position but demonstrated exceptional fighting spirit to turn the game around and secure his first classical win against Arjun.

Despite Arjun's previously dominant record against Gukesh, the young Indian prodigy showcased his resilience and tactical acumen.

After a complex game filled with errors due to time pressure, Gukesh emerged victorious, attributing his win to perseverance and a bit of luck in the time scramble.

Caruana 3-0 Wei

Fabiano Caruana secured a surprisingly comfortable win against Wei Yi, although he was unaware it was his opponent's birthday.

Caruana employed a King's Indian Defense setup, and despite Wei's familiarity with the opening, Caruana managed to win a pawn and then skillfully converted the endgame advantage.

Caruana felt that Wei's defensive strategy in the endgame was flawed, allowing Caruana to gain the upper hand and ultimately secure the win.

Caruana expressed satisfaction with his overall performance in the tournament, highlighting his strong play in several games.

Women: Ju Wenjun Seizes the Lead

Ju Wenjun, the defending Norway Chess Women's Champion, followed her streak of five armageddon wins with a crucial classical victory, propelling her into the sole lead.

Norway Chess Women's Standings After Round 7

• Ju Wenjun: Leading the pack after a decisive win.
• Muzychuk: Close behind, poised to strike.
• Humpy: Still in contention, within striking distance.

Ju 3-0 Khadem

The Women’s World Champion, Ju Wenjun, is on track to defend her title after securing a classical win. She admitted to taking some risks in the opening against Khadem. A critical moment came at move 42.

Humpy 1-1.5 Muzychuk

The classical game between Humpy and Muzychuk ended in a draw. In the armageddon, Muzychuk played the Grunfeld, and Humpy’s aggressive approach didn’t pay off. Muzychuk secured the draw needed to gain a half-point.

Lei 3-0 Vaishali

Lei secured her first win of the tournament against Vaishali. After struggling in previous rounds, Lei was relieved to finally secure a classical win.

Round 8 Pairings: What to Expect

In the Open tournament, the top three players will have the black pieces. In the Women’s tournament, leader Ju will play Vaishali with black, while Muzychuk will play Lei with white.

How to Watch

You can catch all the Norway Chess 2025 action on the Chess24 YouTube and Twitch channels, as well as Nakamura's Kick channel. Live coverage is provided by IMs Tania Sachdev and Jovanka Houska, and GM David Howell.

Norway Chess 2025 features Open and Women's six-player tournaments with equal prize funds of 1,690,000 NOK (~$167,000). The tournament runs from May 26 to June 6 in Stavanger. Classical games are played with a time control of 120 minutes/40 moves, with a 10-second increment from move 41. A classical win earns three points, a loss zero; a draw leads to an armageddon game for an additional half-point.

The Norway Chess 2025 continues to captivate chess enthusiasts worldwide. With thrilling turnarounds, strategic masterclasses, and unexpected results, the tournament exemplifies the beauty and complexity of the game. As we approach the final rounds, the competition intensifies, and every move counts toward securing the coveted title. Stay tuned for more updates and analysis as the drama unfolds!

Source: https://www.chess.com/news/view/2025-norway-chess-round-7