Epic Game Kicks Off Norway Chess
Gukesh's position was a bit better out of the opening; Carlsen played solid and got himself a good game. It was interesting all the way through, but the end was spectacular.
I will post chess news on the road to the World Championsship in 2026, criteria is the same as for the geopolitical content: Selection of the most important developments for you!
Norway Chess Round 1 Carlsen vs. Gukesh
Following top chess nowadays is a real treat. 50 years ago, chess news were to be found in newspapers and chess magazines only. Today top chess is transmitted online with commentary supported by computers that allows for the spectator to get a glimpse of the thought processes. At chess.com one can find extensive after analysis and commentary. In Norway Chess they have a booth for players to comment during the game, that is only audible for the spectators, of course. Carlsen, playing white, was taken by surprise in the opening and after move 11. Rd1 he revealed this line of thought to ‘the booth’:
- g5 12. Be5, Nd7 13. Nh5, f6 14. Bg3, Qe8 15. Nd2, Qg6
Analysis: White saves his bishop from getting caught, but black sustains some initiative.
Gukesh went for 11. - Qa5 and never got to capitalize on his opening preparation; perhaps a bit of caution from the World Champion led him to choose a less agressive approach? Gukesh playing Carlsen is like Kasparov playing Karpov; you must struggle with the rationale of you doing the impossible, since all your life, you have looked up to the older champion in awe.
Carlsen settled in and equalized. He avoided Queen trade on unfavorable terms and slowly build his position. This game was a high quality battle between the very best, decided by a single inaccuracy under time pressure: The world champion featuring his high precision calculation skills, and the world number one displaying his superior knowledge.
Norway Chess is played with the time control of 2 hours for 40 moves per player and a ‘10 second increment after move 40,’ i.e. 10 seconds are added after each move after 40 moves made.
Position after 41. fxe4
White has two advanced central pawns. A chess players intuition will be to run forward with the pawns in a race to get a queen. Note that the white pawn on e5 has to avoid the knight on F6 as it promotes to a queen on E8. It is black to move, hence if it is simply a run for the finish line between the two pawns, then black has a head start: