Stavanger, June 8: Heartbreak for Indian chess lovers as none of the three participants from India could finish at the top in Norway Chess Tournament 2024.
Magnus Carlsen and Ju Wenjun clinched Norway Chess 2024 titles in the main event and women's category as the final round came to an end. India's Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa finished third in the main event.
Among the six women participants, India's Rameshbabu Vaishali (elder sister of Praggnanandhaa) finished fourth and the other Indian competitor Koneru Humpy had to be satisfied with the fifth position.
Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana drew their classical game, and the winner was decided with an Armageddon tie-breaker. It was Carlsen who got the better of Caruana, and with this win, the Norwegian secured at least a share of first place in the tournament, having to wait for the result of the game between Hikaru Nakamura and Praggnanandhaa R.
Nakamura was in a must-win situation to finish on top, but the game ended in a draw. The 18-year-old chess prodigy Praggnanandhaa then won the tiebreak game, capping off his debut outing at Norway Chess in third place behind Nakamura.
The game between Alireza Firouzja and Ding Liren also ended in a draw, with the former winning the Armageddon.
With these results, Carlsen has clinched his sixth Norway Chess title. This is a huge victory for the home country hero, as he had not played many classical tournaments in the recent past.
In the Women's competition, Ju Wenjun scripted history as she clinched the title in the inaugural edition of the tournament. She defeated her compatriot from China and the World Championship Challenger Lei Tingjie in a classical game.
In another game, Anna Muzychuk and Koneru Humpy drew their game, which meant that Muzychuk’s chances of winning the tournament disappeared. However, Muzychuk managed to win in the Armageddon to bag crucial 1.5 points to finish second in the tournament.
The last game of the tournament was between the young Indian talent Vaishali R and the legendary Pia Cramling. While Vaishali obtained a winning position at some point, it was Cramling who was pushing for a win in the endgame, but the game ended peacefully. Vaishali went down in the tiebreak game, finishing fourth in the tournament.
As the tournaments have come to an end, Norway Chess congratulate the winners of both tournaments - Magnus Carlsen and Ju Wenjun on their well-deserved win. This year, Norway Chess was bigger than ever, attracting a stellar line-up of competitors and delivering high-stakes excitement from start to finish. The addition of the Norway Chess Women tournament marked a significant milestone, highlighting the event's growth and commitment to inclusivity in the sport.
Final Standings:
Norway Chess 2024 main event
1. Magnus Carlsen - 17.5 points
2. Hikaru Nakamura - 15.5 points
3. Praggnanandhaa R - 14.5 points
4. Alireza Firouzja - 13.5 points
5. Fabiano Caruana - 11.5 points
6. Ding Liren - 7 points
Norway Chess 2024 women’s tournament
1. Ju Wenjun - 19 points
2. Anna Muzychuk - 16 points
3. Lei Tingjie - 14.5 points
4. Vaishali R - 12.5 points
5. Koneru Humpy - 10 points
6. Pia Cramling - 8 points
But siblings Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali participating in a prestigious global chess event like Norway Chess 2024, was a rare occasion for Indian chess. (With IANS support)
