Magnus Carlsen secured his seventh Norway Chess 2025 in a dramatic and closely contested finale that saw the world champion Gukesh D come close to clinching the crown. The event, held in Stavanger, Norway, featured intense battles among the world’s elite chess players, with Carlsen ultimately winning the rollercoaster ride of the tournament.
Norway Chess 2025 Final Round: A Game To Remember
Magnus Carlsen entered the final round, leading the Standigs with 16 points, closely followed by Gukesh with just half a point. The final day saw an intense battle between Caruana and Gukesh D, as Gukesh needed to win the game to win the title. However, he could not, and Carlsen lost the Armageddon tiebreaker to Arjun Erigiasi but scored one point, which was enough for his win at Norway Chess 2025.
Magnus Carlsen On His Win
After the game, Magnus Carlsen shared his thoughts on the win. He said, “Honestly, it could have meant a lot to me if I had finished off the game against Gukesh and then played a really good tournament. Now, regardless of what happens, it would kind of be like a bit of stumbling into a win. There is a very good chance that I don’t win the tournament, but it honestly wouldn’t make that big of a difference to me. The dream of playing a really good tournament burst with that game. Of course I want to win, but it’s not that important.”
“I wanted a score that reflects the fact I think I’m still significantly better at chess, and since I couldn’t achieve that, a potential tournament win would not mean as much,” he added
Commenting on Gukesh’s performance, he praised the young prodigy but also admitted he’s not up to the mark. He said, “Gukesh showed in this tournament he’s on track, he’s doing fantastic, but he’s not ahead of track.”
Magnus Carlsen Admits Game Against Gukesh Will “Stick”
Carlsen subgles out his game against Gukesh, saying it would “stick” in his mind. He said, “They are all very good (Gukesh and Arjun), but they still need a little bit of time to prepare. We also have a tournament running simultaneously in Armenia, where Pragg (R Praggnanandhaa) and Aravindh Chithambaram showed very good chess… It is not a positive memory, but the game that will stick out is the game against Gukesh.”
Also Read: Norway Chess 2025: Magnus Carlsen Wins Record Seventh Title, Gukesh Finishes Third
