Magnus Carlsen reminded everyone of his supremacy over the world of chess by claiming the Norway Chess tournament title, one of the world’s top events, for a record seventh time, demonstrating that he remains the world’s best in all forms even in an event where he was not at his peak.
Magnus Carlsen Wins Norway Chess 2025
Carlsen clinched the championship on the last day in Stavanger after being pegged out by India’s Arjun Erigaisi and then losing the following Armageddon tiebreaker. His nearest challenger, current Classical World Champion D. Gukesh, who was half a point behind going into the final round, faltered against Fabiano Caruana. Not only did that see Gukesh fall to third but also permitted Caruana to jump to second.
The result of the two-week elite tournament indicated that the experienced elite remain the best. Carlsen (34) and Caruana (32) took the number one and two positions, respectively, while 37-year-old Hikaru Nakamura finished in fourth place after a draw with China’s Wei Yi in the last round.
“I Might Be Back Next Year” Says Carlsen
“I don’t think I will be playing a lot (of Classical chess), but I am also not guaranteeing that I’m never playing a classical tournament again. I might be back here next year. I cannot be sure,” Carlsen said
Interestingly enough, Carlsen has been publicly critical of the Classical chess structure in recent years, suggesting a potential move away from it. Nevertheless, after his latest victory at Norway Chess, he left the door open to a return next year.
Magnus Carlsen Takes A Dig At D Gukesh & Arjun Erigaisi
Carlsen, interviewed following the event, stressed that though young stars Gukesh and Arjun have tremendous talent, they’re not yet ready to push the veterans aside. “I can still outplay the kids,” he said, highlighting his competitive advantage.
“At the very least it’s nice to see I can still play. And it’s nice to see that at least in parts of the game I can still be quite a lot better than the guys who are trying to take over,” he added.
“I generally feel that I can outplay the kids (like Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi) which feels good. It’s good to see that at least in parts of the game I am a lot better than kids who are trying to take over,” Carlsen said in a interview with Chess24.
Magnus Carlsen’s Dominance
Carlsen has been the world’s No. 1 rated player since 2011 and won five World Championship titles since initially beating Viswanathan Anand in 2013. While he voluntarily relinquished defending his title in 2022 because he lost interest, his recent performance indicates he’s not finished with Classical chess yet.
Beyond conventional forms, Carlsen has been leading the way with Freestyle Chess (Chess960), co-establishing the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour and Players Club with German business owner Jan Henric Buettner. However, through this latest success, there is no doubt the classical king hasn’t lost his throne.
