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Caruana Leads, Gukesh Shines in Round 7 of Norway Chess 2025
Round 7 of Norway Chess 2025 was full of action, drama, and decisive results.
Caruana Takes the Lead
GM Fabiano Caruana is now in first place after beating GM Wei Yi on his 26th birthday. Caruana turned a slightly better endgame into a full point.
He called it an “endgame squeeze” and said he didn’t even know it was Wei’s birthday. His precise play with opposite-colored bishops helped him score a clean win.
Caruana said,
“If you told me last night I’d be leading today, I wouldn’t have believed you.”
He’s happy with his form and feels most of his games have been strong.
Gukesh Wins Again – Another Comeback!
World Champion GM Gukesh Dommaraju did it again. After surviving a nearly lost position against GM Arjun Erigaisi, he fought back and won. This was Gukesh’s first-ever classical win against Arjun.
The game looked bad early on. Gukesh walked into a known tactic in the opening. By move 19, things looked hopeless. But he kept making smart moves and capitalized in time trouble.
He joked after the game:
“I’ll try to get good positions from now on!”
This win follows his shocking victory over Magnus Carlsen the previous round.
Carlsen Wins Armageddon, But Slips to Third
GM Magnus Carlsen bounced back after a rough loss, beating GM Hikaru Nakamura in armageddon. Their classical game was a quick 21-move draw. Carlsen admitted he was only motivated to prepare for the armageddon game.
The win was dramatic, involving a sharp piece sacrifice and tactical defense. Even so, Carlsen has slipped to third in the standings. His emotional outburst from the previous round sparked debate.
Carlsen said,
“I wish I had a different reaction. But it was what it was.”
Nakamura noted it might have been their final classical game against each other. Both are playing less traditional chess and more in freestyle and speed formats.
Women’s Norway Chess: Ju Wenjun Takes Sole Lead
Ju Wenjun Scores Her First Classical Win
GM Ju Wenjun, the Women’s World Champion, finally broke through. She beat IM Sara Khadem to take the lead in the women’s section. Ju took some risks but played precisely in the endgame to seal the win.
She now leads with three rounds to go. Ju also won the 2024 edition of the event.
Muzychuk Beats Humpy in Armageddon
GM Anna Muzychuk and GM Koneru Humpy drew their classical game. In armageddon, Muzychuk played the Grünfeld and held a draw with Black—earning 1.5 points.
Muzychuk commented on Humpy’s risky 3.f3 move: “Without prep, it’s bold!” She also weighed in on Carlsen’s emotional outburst, noting men tend to express emotions more outwardly.
Lei Tingjie Wins Her First Game
GM Lei Tingjie finally won her first classical game, beating GM Vaishali Rameshbabu. She said Carlsen’s previous loss made her feel better about her own tough games. Her win came after deep time trouble from Vaishali and some inaccurate moves.
Lei is now just a classical win behind Ju in the standings. The women’s race remains wide open.
Looking Ahead to Round 8
Round 8 will be held on Tuesday, June 3, starting at:
🕚 11:00 a.m. ET / 🕔 17:00 CEST / 🕣 8:30 p.m. IST
In both the open and women’s events, the top players will be playing Black. All of their opponents lost their mini-matches in round 7.
It promises to be another thrilling day in Stavanger!
Photos: Michal Walusza, Roza Czarnota, Norway Chess
Source: CHESS.com
