In what promises to be one of the most eagerly anticipated showdowns in the history of chess, reigning world champion and youngest titleholder Gukesh Dommaraju will take on the world’s No.1 Magnus Carlsen in a high-stakes battle at Norway Chess 2025, set to unfold in Stavanger from May 26 to June 6, 2025.
The clash between these two chess titans has already generated immense buzz among fans and experts alike. Speaking at an event jointly organized by Norway Chess and the Sports Journalists Association of Mumbai (SJAM), five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand voiced his excitement and support for the young Indian prodigy.
“I expect a very exciting battle. Gukesh will not lack motivation or the determination to go after Magnus Carlsen. But Magnus is also highly motivated by the challenge of playing against our young players. I’ve seen him in multiple tournaments whether it’s Kolkata or the World Rapid Blitz, he eagerly looks forward to these match-ups and so we have the perfect storm. I think we have the right to expect some great battles,” Anand said.
Gukesh, just 18 years old, has had a sensational year—winning the Tata Steel Masters, leading India to gold at the Chess Olympiad, conquering the Candidates Tournament, and ultimately clinching the World Championship title in Singapore last December.
Norway Chess 2025 will host a formidable line-up:
- Magnus Carlsen (Norway)
- Hikaru Nakamura (USA)
- Gukesh D (India)
- Fabiano Caruana (USA)
- Arjun Erigaisi (India)
- Wei Yi (China)
The women’s section—Norway Chess Women—will see top contenders including:
- Ju Wenjun (China)
- Lei Tingjie (China)
- Humpy Koneru (India)
- Anna Muzychuk (Ukraine)
- Vaishali Rameshbabu (India)
- Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (Spain)
Both tournaments share the same format, same prize money, and will be held in the same playing hall, following a 6-player double round-robin format.
From his own past experiences at Norway Chess, Anand praised the tournament’s innovative approach and high competitive standards.
“It is one of the premier events in the sport of chess, and since Norway Chess began in 2013, it has kept on evolving very well. They continue to make the tournament very attractive a demonstration of what chess is all about. They always have some extra tweak to make it very interesting, whether it’s the confessional booth or now the Armageddon. It’s a very innovative tournament, and the levels of competition is simply outstanding.”
He also emphasized India’s rising stature in the chess world:
“And for Indian chess, the fact that we have four players, says a lot. On the men’s side, Indian chess is as strong as it’s ever been. Even more so obviously due to the depth we have. But it’s great that Koneru Hampy is still competing so successfully and that she’ll be joined by Vaishali as well, which bodes well for us.”
Kjell Madland, Managing Director and the visionary behind Norway Chess, also expressed excitement about the upcoming clash:
“Norway Chess is absolutely honoured to be hosting the Gukesh and Magnus clash, especially on the back of Gukesh’s incredible run of form. Both the champions will have a couple of chances to go after each other which is bodes very well for Norway Chess. And hopefully, next year, Norway Chess can host this exact fixture in India as well, where there are so many champions. The quality of chess in India over the last ten years has been, and for sure, the sport would be poorer without the Indian champions.”
With such a star-studded line-up and fierce rivalries, Norway Chess 2025 promises an electrifying chess spectacle for fans around the world.