Nakamura beats Caruana to win Norway Chess 2023

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
6/10/2023 – A final-round win over long-time leader Fabiano Caruana gave Hikaru Nakamura outright victory at the 11th edition of the Norway Chess super-tournament. Nakamura scored three wins and no losses in his nine classical games, which allowed him to climb to the second spot in the live ratings list. Caruana finished second, while 17-year-old Dommaraju Gukesh impressed by grabbing third place. | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Norway Chess

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World number two!

In February 2022, Hikaru Nakamura shocked the chess world by winning the first leg of the FIDE Grand Prix in Berlin. His winning a tournament was not that surprising given his illustrious career, but the fact that he did it two and a half years after playing his last classical, rated game was nothing short of impressive. Moreover, he had knocked out a number of active, elite grandmasters in the process.

A year and four months later, Nakamura, who continues to stream constantly on his incredibly successful channels, has accumulated more triumphs in all time-control formats, including classical. Only this year, the 5-time US champion has won the American Cup, the Chessable Masters and now the Norway Chess super-tournament. Last year, he fell just short of finishing the Candidates in second place (which would have granted him a spot in this year’s World Championship match) and won the Fischer Random World Championship in Reykjavík.

Nakamura’s victory in Stavanger came after a remarkable showing in the final round. Fabiano Caruana, who grabbed the lead right from the get go by beating Magnus Carlsen in their first-round classical encounter, had a 2½-point advantage over his compatriot. Only a win in classical would allow Naka to get tournament victory. And that is precisely what he did, showcasing his brand of impassive chess to grab a couple of pawns in a technical position before converting his material advantage into a 55-move win.

The tournament winner’s classical-chess performance was remarkable, as he collected three wins and six draws to gain 12.2 Elo points and climb to second place in the live ratings list. Out of the six Armageddon deciders played by Nakamura, he won three and lost three, including his encounter against Magnus Carlsen. The well-known rapid-play specialist later noted:

For whatever reason, I think I’m playing better in classical than I am in blitz or rapid in probably the last six months.

Hikaru Nakamura

Hikaru Nakamura | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Norway Chess

Despite losing the all-important final classical game, Caruana’s showing in Stavanger was extraordinary. The former World Championship challenger grabbed four wins and lost twice in classical games, which means he only played three Armageddon tiebreakers (he won 2 out of 3). Caruana gained 8.7 Elo points and climbed to third place in the live ratings list, leapfrogging — much like Nakamura — Ian Nepomniachtchi and world champion Ding Liren.

Caruana will participate both at the No-Castling World Masters in Dortmund (starting June 24) and at the SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia (starting July 5), the third stage of this year’s Grand Chess Tour.

Fabiano Caruana

Fabiano Caruana | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Norway Chess

Nakamura 1 - 0 Caruana

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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,165,57054%2421---
1.d4946,47455%2434---
1.Nf3281,31256%2441---
1.c4181,93756%2442---
1.g319,68856%2427---
1.b314,23654%2427---
1.f45,88648%2377---
1.Nc33,79651%2384---
1.b41,75348%2380---
1.a31,19754%2403---
1.e31,06848%2408---
1.d394850%2378---
1.g466246%2361---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c342651%2425---
1.h327956%2416---
1.a410860%2468---
1.f39147%2431---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3 8.Be2 h6 9.Nf3 8...Nd5 9.Nf3 Bd6 10.0-0 Nf4 10...0-0 11.Nc3 Nxd3 12.cxd3 0-0 13.b3 Re8 14.Re1 c5 15.Ba3 Nc6 16.Ne4 Bf8 17.Rc1 17.Bxc5? f5 18.Bxf8 fxe4 17.Nxc5? Bg4 18.Rc1 Nd4 17...f5? 17...Nb4! 18.Bxb4 18.Nxc5 Bxc5 19.Rxc5 Nxd3 18...cxb4 19.Nc5 Qd5 20.d4 Bg4 21.h3 Bxf3 22.Qxf3 Qxf3 23.gxf3 exd4= 17...Qxd3? 18.Bxc5± 18.Nxc5 Qd5 19.Qc2 Rd8 20.Qc4 Qxc4 21.Rxc4 21.dxc4? e4 21...Rd5 22.Rec1 Bd6 23.Bb2 Ne7 24.R4c2 24.d4 24...Rb8 25.d4 exd4 25...e4 26.Ne5+- 26.Nxd4 a5 27.Nf3 h6 28.Na4 Ba6 29.Nc3 Rc5 29...Rd3 30.Ne1 Rd4 31.Nb5+- 30.Ba3 Rc6 31.Bxd6 Rxd6 32.Na4 Nd5 32...Bd3 33.Rc7 Nd5 34.Rc8+ Rxc8 35.Rxc8+ Kh7 36.Ne5 Ba6 37.Rh8+ Kxh8 38.Nf7+ Kg8 39.Nxd6+- 33.Rc6 Rxc6 34.Rxc6 Nb4 34...Bb7 35.Rc5 35.Rd6! 35.Rc5 Nxa2 36.Rxa5 Rxb3+- 35...Bb7 35...Nxa2? 36.Rxa6+- 36.Nc3 Re8 37.h4 f4 37...Bxf3 38.gxf3 Re1+ 39.Kg2+- 38.Rd4 Rf8 39.Ne5 Re8 40.Nc4 f3 41.gxf3 Bxf3 42.Kh2 Nc2 43.Rd3 Ba8 44.Kg3 Kh7 45.Ne3 Nb4 45...Nxe3 46.dxe3+- 46.Rd6 Nc6 47.Ncd5 Rf8 48.Nc7 Bb7 49.Ne6 Rf7 50.f4 50.Nd8? Nxd8 51.Rxd8 Rf3+ 52.Kg2?? Rf8+ 50...Ba8 51.h5 Ra7 51...Nb4 52.Rd8 Be4 53.Nf8+ Kg8 54.Ng6+ Kh7 55.Rh8# 52.a3 Kg8 52...Rb7 53.Rxc6+- 53.f5 Re7 53...Kf7 54.Rxc6 54.Kf4+- 54...Bxc6 55.Nd8++- 54.Kf4 Ra7 55.d4 55.d4 Re7 56.d5 Na7 57.Rd8+ Kf7 58.Rf8# 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Nakamura,H2775Caruana,F27641–02023C5811th Norway Chess 20239.3

Analysis by IM Robert Ris

Gukesh finishes third, now world number 13

The final round saw an all-American showdown for first place, while Indian prodigy Dommaraju Gukesh beat Wesley So in Armageddon (the youngster drew with black in the tiebreaker) to secure a remarkable third place in the elite tournament.

At 17, Gukesh has cemented his standing as the second highest-rated junior player in the world, only behind wunderkind Alireza Firouzja. The boy from Chennai collected two wins, six draws and one loss in his classical games in Stavanger, including a first-round win over Firouzja. His remarkable performance gained him 8.1 points in the live ratings list, as he climbed to world number 13, leapfrogging Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Levon Aronian and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave!

Gukesh stands now at a 33-point distance from Firouzja — at the start of the year, the difference amounted to 60 points (2725 to 2785).

Dommaraju Gukesh

Dommaraju Gukesh | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Norway Chess

Winless Carlsen

According to Tarjei J. Svensen’s unofficial count, this is the first time in 16 years that Magnus Carlsen went through a classical round-robin tournament without a single win. The Norwegian’s underwhelming performance in Stavanger comes after his amazing run of four consecutive tournament victories — albeit he also famously underperformed (according to his superhuman standards) in his home tournament back in 2015 and 2017.

Curiously, Carlsen was also the only player not to score at least a classical win in this year’s edition. The clear underdog, Aryan Tari, who finished in last place, scored his first win of the event in the final round, as he defeated Firouzja with the white pieces.

Carlsen did win all but one of his Armageddon tiebreakers, except the last one, against Nodirbek Abdusattorov. The Norwegian lost 18.4 Elo points in Stavanger, but he remains way ahead in the live ratings list as the only player with a 2800+ rating, a whole 48 points ahead of second-placed Nakamura.

Magnus Carlsen

Magnus Carlsen and Peter Heine Nielsen| Photo: Lennart Ootes / Norway Chess

Final standings

Norway Chess 2023

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1.e4 2 e5 7 2.Nf3 6 Nc6 6 3.Bc4 43 Bc5 8 4.d3 8 Nf6 15 5.0-0 23 d6 18 6.c3 15 h6 31 Recently 6...a5 got a lot of attention. 7.Nbd2 2:12       7.b4!? Bb6 8.a4= 7...a5 8       C54: Giuoco Piano: 4 c3 Nf6, main lines with 5 d4 and 5 d3. 8.Re1 1:26 0-0 10 9.Nf1 2:41 a4 1:09 The position is equal. 10.Bb5 5:18 a3 1:23 11.b4 9 Bb6 8 12.Bc4 11:29 Ne7 4:14 13.Ng3 5:25 Ng6 5:14 14.h3 1:11 c6 4:05 15.Bb3 3:25 d5 14:41
16.exd5N 14:18 Predecessor: 16.Qc2 Re8 17.Bd2 Be6 18.Rad1 Qd7 19.Be3 Bc7 20.Bc1 Nf4 21.Bxf4 exf4 22.Nf1 Bxh3 23.gxh3 Qxh3 0-1 Asgarizadeh,A (2452)-Chigaev,M (2589) Titled Tuesday intern op 3rd March blitz 2020 (4) 16...Nxd5 14 17.Bd2 10 Be6 1:59 18.Nh5 4:00 Bc7 16:05 18...Qd6= 19.d4! 5:50 exd4 1:42
Black should try 19...Nb6 20.Nxd4 26 Only move: 20.Bxh6!± Ndf4 21.Bxf4 21.Nxg7 Bxb3 22.Qxb3 Nh4= 21.Bxg7 Nxh5 22.Bxf8 Bxb3= 21...Bxb3 22.Qxb3 22.Qxd4 Qxd4 23.Nxd4 Nxf4= 22...Nxf4 23.Nxf4 Bxf4 24.Re4 24.Nxd4 Re8± 24.cxd4 Qd5± 20...Qd6 4:47 And now ...Qh2+ would win. 20...Qh4 with more complications. 21.Nxe6 fxe6 22.Qe2 Rae8 21.Ng3 1:15 21.g3!? Rae8 22.Rxe6 fxe6 23.Qg4 21...Rad8 3:41 22.Nxe6 15:52 fxe6 7 23.Qg4 1:46 Ne5 7:20 24.Qe2 1:10 Nxb4 12:19       Discovered Attack 25.Bg5! 12:48 hxg5 3:07 26.cxb4 1:19 g6 2:14 Prevents Qh5 27.Rad1 3:31 27.Qe3!? 27...Qxb4 3:09 White must now prevent ...Rxd1. 28.Bxe6+ 26 28.Ne4= remains equal. 28...Kh8 59 Strongly threatening ...Rde8. 29.Rb1 20:28 29.Rxd8 Rxd8 30.Bb3 29...Qf4 2:52 Threatens to win with ...Rde8. Black has more active pieces. 30.Rxb7 1:25 Nd3 2:11 31.Rd1 3
This costs White the game. 31.Rf1 is the only way for White. Nc5 32.Rxc7 32.Ra7? Rd2-+       Skewer 32...Qxc7 33.Qe3 Nxe6 34.Qxe6 31...Nc1!-+ 5:03 Weaker is 31...Qxf2+ 32.Qxf2 Nxf2 33.Rxd8 33.Rxc7? Rxd1+ 34.Kh2 Rd2-+ 33...Bxd8 34.Bd7= 31...Nxf2 32.Rxd8 Bxd8 33.Bf5 Nxh3+ 34.Kh2 32.Rxc1 13 Qxc1+ 7 33.Kh2? 1 33.Nf1 Qf4 34.g3 33...Rd2 1:04       Skewer, Deflection. Black is clearly winning. 34.Qe4 2
34...Rfxf2! 18:23 ( -> ...Qf1!) 35.Rxc7 Rxg2+ 0 36.Qxg2 2 Rxg2+ 0 37.Kxg2 1 Qd2+ 0 Artfully played by Gukesh D. Weighted Error Value: White=0.65/Black=0.08 (flawless)
0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Firouzja,A2785Gukesh D27320–12023C5411th Norway Chess 20231.1
Caruana,F2764Carlsen,M28531–02023C1111th Norway Chess 20231.1
So,W2760Nakamura,H2775½–½2023C6711th Norway Chess 20231.1
Mamedyarov,S2738Tari,A2642½–½2023D3211th Norway Chess 20231.1
Abdusattorov,N2731Giri,A2768½–½2023E5711th Norway Chess 20231.1
So,W2760Nakamura,H27751–02023C5411th Norway Chess 20231.2
Mamedyarov,S2738Tari,A26421–02023A1311th Norway Chess 20231.2
Abdusattorov,N2731Giri,A27680–12023E0611th Norway Chess 20231.2
Carlsen,M2853So,W2760½–½2023C6511th Norway Chess 20232.1
Firouzja,A2785Mamedyarov,S27381–02023D2011th Norway Chess 20232.1
Giri,A2768Caruana,F2764½–½2023E2511th Norway Chess 20232.1
Gukesh D2732Nakamura,H27750–12023D4011th Norway Chess 20232.1
Tari,A2642Abdusattorov,N27310–12023B5111th Norway Chess 20232.1
Carlsen,M2853So,W27601–02023C6511th Norway Chess 20232.2
Giri,A2768Caruana,F27640–12023E0511th Norway Chess 20232.2
Nakamura,H2775Carlsen,M2853½–½2023C8911th Norway Chess 20233.1
Caruana,F2764Tari,A26421–02023D3611th Norway Chess 20233.1
So,W2760Giri,A2768½–½2023D5011th Norway Chess 20233.1
Mamedyarov,S2738Gukesh D2732½–½2023A3111th Norway Chess 20233.1
Abdusattorov,N2731Firouzja,A27850–12023D4511th Norway Chess 20233.1
Nakamura,H2775Carlsen,M28530–12023C3911th Norway Chess 20233.2
So,W2760Giri,A2768½–½2023E4811th Norway Chess 20233.2
Mamedyarov,S2738Gukesh D27320–12023A3511th Norway Chess 20233.2
Firouzja,A2785Caruana,F27640–12023C1111th Norway Chess 20234.1
Giri,A2768Nakamura,H2775½–½2023B3111th Norway Chess 20234.1
Mamedyarov,S2738Abdusattorov,N2731½–½2023D2011th Norway Chess 20234.1
Gukesh D2732Carlsen,M2853½–½2023C5411th Norway Chess 20234.1
Tari,A2642So,W2760½–½2023C8911th Norway Chess 20234.1
Giri,A2768Nakamura,H27750–12023C6711th Norway Chess 20234.2
Mamedyarov,S2738Abdusattorov,N27311–02023D3711th Norway Chess 20234.2
Gukesh D2732Carlsen,M28530–12023C5411th Norway Chess 20234.2
Tari,A2642So,W2760½–½2023C3611th Norway Chess 20234.2
Carlsen,M2853Giri,A2768½–½2023E0511th Norway Chess 20235.1
Nakamura,H2775Tari,A26421–02023C2711th Norway Chess 20235.1
Caruana,F2764Mamedyarov,S27380–12023A2811th Norway Chess 20235.1
So,W2760Firouzja,A2785½–½2023D8511th Norway Chess 20235.1
Abdusattorov,N2731Gukesh D2732½–½2023D4511th Norway Chess 20235.1
Carlsen,M2853Giri,A27681–02023E3611th Norway Chess 20235.2
So,W2760Firouzja,A2785½–½2023C6511th Norway Chess 20235.2
Abdusattorov,N2731Gukesh D2732½–½2023E0311th Norway Chess 20235.2
Firouzja,A2785Nakamura,H2775½–½2023B3111th Norway Chess 20236.1
Mamedyarov,S2738So,W2760½–½2023D2011th Norway Chess 20236.1
Gukesh D2732Giri,A2768½–½2023D1211th Norway Chess 20236.1
Abdusattorov,N2731Caruana,F27640–12023C6511th Norway Chess 20236.1
Tari,A2642Carlsen,M2853½–½2023B5111th Norway Chess 20236.1
Firouzja,A2785Nakamura,H27750–12023C5411th Norway Chess 20236.2
Mamedyarov,S2738So,W27600–12023A3711th Norway Chess 20236.2
Gukesh D2732Giri,A27681–02023B9211th Norway Chess 20236.2
Tari,A2642Carlsen,M28530–12023C5511th Norway Chess 20236.2
Carlsen,M2853Firouzja,A2785½–½2023B4011th Norway Chess 20237.1
Nakamura,H2775Mamedyarov,S2738½–½2023D2011th Norway Chess 20237.1
Giri,A2768Tari,A26421–02023E0411th Norway Chess 20237.1
Caruana,F2764Gukesh D2732½–½2023C6511th Norway Chess 20237.1
So,W2760Abdusattorov,N27311–02023D2011th Norway Chess 20237.1
Carlsen,M2853Firouzja,A27851–02023C4211th Norway Chess 20237.2
Nakamura,H2775Mamedyarov,S27381–02023A0611th Norway Chess 20237.2
Caruana,F2764Gukesh D27320–12023C6511th Norway Chess 20237.2
Firouzja,A2785Giri,A2768½–½2023C4411th Norway Chess 20238.1
Caruana,F2764So,W2760½–½2023E5111th Norway Chess 20238.1
Mamedyarov,S2738Carlsen,M2853½–½2023D3711th Norway Chess 20238.1
Gukesh D2732Tari,A26421–02023D0211th Norway Chess 20238.1
Abdusattorov,N2731Nakamura,H2775½–½2023C6711th Norway Chess 20238.1
Firouzja,A2785Giri,A27680–12023C4411th Norway Chess 20238.2
Caruana,F2764So,W27601–02023D3611th Norway Chess 20238.2
Mamedyarov,S2738Carlsen,M28530–12023A2111th Norway Chess 20238.2
Abdusattorov,N2731Nakamura,H27751–02023C6711th Norway Chess 20238.2
Carlsen,M2853Abdusattorov,N2731½–½2023C0111th Norway Chess 20239.1
Nakamura,H2775Caruana,F27641–02023C5811th Norway Chess 20239.1
Giri,A2768Mamedyarov,S2738½–½2023C6011th Norway Chess 20239.1
So,W2760Gukesh D2732½–½2023D3711th Norway Chess 20239.1
Tari,A2642Firouzja,A27851–02023B5111th Norway Chess 20239.1
Carlsen,M2853Abdusattorov,N2731½–½2023C0111th Norway Chess 20239.2
Giri,A2768Mamedyarov,S27381–02023C6011th Norway Chess 20239.2
So,W2760Gukesh D2732½–½2023C6511th Norway Chess 20239.2

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Carlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.

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