Norway Chess 2024: Praggnanandhaa Wins Against Firouzja In Tournament Opener

Stavanger (Norway), May 28: On the opening day of Norway Chess 2024, Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa defeated France's Alireza Firouzja and world No.1 Magnus Carlsen registered a comfortable victory. The tournament began with a dynamic start, gathering the world's top chess players.

The super-tournament, held from May 27 to June 7 at SpareBank 1 SR-Bank, features the main Norway Chess event and the newly introduced Norway Chess Women tournament.

This year, the tournament showcases both male and female players in a 6-player double round-robin format with equal prize funds. This initiative underscores a strong commitment to gender equality in chess.

Praggnanandhaa Bests Firouzja

Round 1 delivered thrilling games. In the main event, Ding Liren and Magnus Carlsen played a calm classical game, ending in a 14-move draw. They moved to an Armageddon game, where Carlsen won convincingly with Black.

In a highly anticipated match, Praggnanandhaa faced Alireza Firouzja. Their classical game ended in a draw, but Praggnanandhaa clinched the Armageddon game with one second left on his clock, showcasing his skill under pressure.

Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura also had an engaging match. Nakamura's solid preparation led to a balanced position quickly. Caruana missed a critical chance to gain an advantage, resulting in a draw. Nakamura then won the Armageddon game as Black.

Ju Wenjun Defeats Vaishali

The Norway Chess Women's tournament also saw intense action. Despite all classical games ending in draws, the game between Pia Cramling and Koneru Humpy was noteworthy. Cramling had a significant advantage early but couldn't convert it, leading to a peaceful conclusion.

Ju Wenjun triumphed over Vaishali R, while Lei Tingjie defeated Anna Muzychuk in their respective Armageddon round 1 battles. All games in round 1 ended in draws, with Armageddon deciding the points across both events.

Norway Chess 2024: Round 2 Pairings

In the main event, Magnus Carlsen will face Hikaru Nakamura, Alireza Firouzja will play against Fabiano Caruana, and Ding Liren will take on Praggnanandhaa R, all on May 28.

In the Women's event, Indian players Vaishali R and Koneru Humpy will compete against each other. Lei Tingjie will face Pia Cramling, while Ju Wenjun will be up against Anna Muzychuk.