World number one Magnus Carlsen secured his record-extending seventh Norway Chess title in Stavanger, but not without drama. The title was ultimately decided by Indian prodigy D Gukesh’s loss to American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana in the final round.Carlsen, who drew his final-round game against Arjun Erigaisi from an unfavourable position, finished the tournament with 16 points. Caruana took second place with 15.5, while Gukesh settled for third with 14.5. Arjun, another standout Indian performer, ended fifth with 12.5 points.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Speaking after the tournament, Carlsen acknowledged the rising stature of the young Indian talents but offered a measured perspective. “They are all very good (Gukesh and Arjun), but they still need a little bit of time to prepare,” Carlsen told ANI. “We also have a tournament running simultaneously in Armenia, where Pragg (R Praggnanandhaa) and Aravindh Chithambaram showed very good chess.”Reflecting on his own journey through the rollercoaster tournament, Carlsen admitted, “I feel great. It is a relief to win the tournament. In the end, it was such a rollercoaster, but it is good.”One game that particularly stood out for the five-time world champion was his shocking loss to Gukesh earlier in the tournament — a rare moment of vulnerability that even saw Carlsen vent his frustration on the board. “It is not a positive memory, but the game that will stick out is the game against Gukesh,” he admitted.
As for Gukesh, the 17-year-old’s heartbreaking loss to Caruana came after a desperate bid to recover from a tough position. Running out of time, he resigned with just two seconds left on the clock and covered his face in frustration — a moment that underscored both his promise and his growing pains at the highest level.
