Never count him out
Magnus Carlsen participated in all eight previous editions of the Norway Chess Tournament. Playing at home seemed to be more of a disadvantage for the world champion at first, as he only managed to win the event for the first time in the fourth edition (2016). A disappointing ninth place in 2017 was followed by a second place behind Fabiano Caruana in 2018.
The Ruy Lopez is one of the oldest openings which continues to enjoy high popularity from club level to the absolute world top. In this video series, American super GM Fabiano Caruana, talking to IM Oliver Reeh, presents a complete repertoire for White.
Ever since the new pointing system was put in place, though, Carlsen obtained back-to-back tournament victories in 2019 and 2020. After winning three games in a row in this edition, the local hero is now well in contention to obtain his third consecutive title, as he stands a half point behind sole leader Richard Rapport with two rounds to go.
Alireza Firouzja, who won a second game in a row on Wednesday, is in third place, 3 points behind Carlsen, which means he only has an outside chance of fighting for first place in the remaining two rounds.
Carlsen and Firouzja’s victories in classical chess were not the only highlights in round 8, though, as tailender Aryan Tari defeated Ian Nepomniachtchi with the black pieces.

Two rounds to go in Stavanger... | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Carlsen 3 - 0 Rapport
Out of a Spanish Opening, a deeply strategical battle ensued in the key matchup of the day. In the commentary booth, Judit Polgar predicted a 6-hour fight, while Firouzja — after winning his game — claimed that a long torture awaited Rapport. Indeed, Carlsen was ably manoeuvring his pieces, looking to provoke a mistake by his opponent.
The world champion’s perseverance was rewarded on move 58.
Smyslov cultivated a clear positional style and even in sharp tactical positions often relied more on his intuition than on concrete calculation of variations. Let our authors introduce you into the world of Vasily Smyslov.
With both players in severe time pressure, Rapport blundered with 58...Nf6 (58...Qe6 was the only move that kept up the defence). Carlsen found 59.Qc8+ Qd8 60.Qxd8+ Bxd8 61.Bg5
Black’s position is collapsing. After 61...gxh5 62.Bxf6 Bxf6, the bishop no longer defends a5 and Black’s c-pawn is bound to fall as well. Carlen had no major difficulties converting the superior endgame into a win.
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Ne7 5.0-0 c6 6.Ba4 Ng6 7.Re1 Be7 8.d4 d6 9.c3 0-0 10.Nbd2 h6 11.Nf1N 11.Bc2 Nh7 12.Nc4 Be6 13.Ne3 Ng5 14.d5 Nxf3+ 15.Qxf3 cxd5 16.exd5 Bd7 17.Nf5 Bxf5 18.Qxf5 11...Re8 12.Ng3 a5 13.Bc2 Qc7 14.a4 Bd7 15.h3 b5 16.Be3 Rab8 17.Qd2 b4 18.Bd3 bxc3 19.bxc3 Be6 20.Qc2 Rb7 21.Nf1 Nh5 22.N1d2 Nhf4 23.Ba6 Rbb8 24.dxe5 dxe5 25.Rab1 Bd7 26.Bc4 Ne6 27.Qa2 Nh4 28.Nxh4 Bxh4 29.Nf3 Be7 30.Rbd1 Bc8 31.Qc2 Nf8 32.Rd2 Be6 33.Qa2 Red8 34.Rxd8 Bxd8 35.Rd1 Be7 36.h4 Rd8 37.Rb1 Rb8 38.Rxb8 Qxb8 39.g3 Bd8 40.Kg2 Bc7 41.Bxe6 Nxe6 42.Qc4 Qe8 43.h5 Kh7 44.Qd3 Qe7 44...f5!? 45.Nd2 Bd6 46.Nc4 Bc7 47.Qd1 Nf8 48.Qg4 Nd7 49.Kf1 Qe8 50.Kg2 Qe7 51.Qf5+ Kg8 52.g4 Nf8 53.g5 hxg5 54.Bxg5 Qc5 54...f6 55.Be3 Qf7 56.Nb2 Nd7 57.Nc4 Nf8 55.Ne3 Qd6 55...Qxc3? 56.Ng4+- 56.Qg4 56...g6 57.Bh6 Nd7 58.Nc4 Nf6? 59.Qc8++- Qd8 60.Qxd8+ Bxd8 61.Bg5! 61.Nxe5 Nxe4 62.hxg6 fxg6= 61...gxh5 62.Bxf6 Bxf6 63.Nxa5 Kf8 64.Nxc6 Ke8 65.Nb4 Bd8 66.Nd3 f6 67.Kg3 Kd7? 67...Kf7 68.f3 Bc7 68.f3 Ba5 69.c4 Ke6 70.Kh4 f5 71.Kxh5 fxe4 72.fxe4 Kd6 73.Kg6 Bc7 74.Kf5 Kc6 75.Ke6 Kb6 76.Kd7 Bb8 77.c5+ 1–0 - Start an analysis engine:
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Carlsen,M | 2855 | Rapport,R | 2760 | 1–0 | 2021 | | 9th Norway Chess 2021 | 8.1 |
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Still leading — Richard Rapport | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Nepomniachtchi 0 - 3 Tari
The Russian representatives had a couple of bad days in Stavanger. After both Nepo and Sergey Karjakin lost with black on Tuesday, they played riskily with white against the youngest (and lowest-rated) participants in round 8 — their attempts at a quick recovery backfired, as they both lost for a second day in a row.
Nepo’s 15.f4 against Tari was overly ambitious.
The Russian star went all-in on the kingside after weakening his monarch’s position. Tari continued to find the right moves though, until Nepo faltered on move 25.
The two DVDs offer you the chance to solve 66 exercises with multiple questions. These exercises are presented in the interactive format, which makes them accessible for players of different strengths as we will go through the thought process step by step
25.Rg6 fails to 25...Rxf4 26.Rag1 Rg4, and Black has successfully escaped the mating threats along the g-file.
In the diagrammed position, White’s best defensive alternative was 25.Bxg7, when after 25...Rxg7 26.Rxg7+ Qxg7 White threatens to gain the queen with a check from g1.
Actually, the best move here is 27.Qxf4 (not 27.Rg1 at once), and after 27...Qd4 28.Rg1+ Black needs to capture the rook with the queen to prevent checkmate.
Nepo did not enter this line, though, and went on to lose the game. Tari was visibly ecstatic after his win, noting that “to manage to beat Ian today with black was the best gift I could get — I think I played well, I never beat a player of his calibre before”.
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1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Bb4 3.Nd5 Be7 4.Nf3 d6 5.g3 Nf6 6.Nc3 6...c5N 6...Be6 7.d3 0-0 8.Bg2 Qc8 9.h4 Nc6 10.Bd2 h6 11.0-0 Bh3 12.Rb1 Bxg2 13.Kxg2 Ng4 7.Bg2 h6 8.d3 Be6 9.Nd2 Qd7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.cxd5 Bh3 13.e4 Bxg2 14.Kxg2 f5 15.f4 exf4 16.gxf4 16.Rxf4= Na6 17.Nc4 16...Bf6 17.Nc4 17...Na6! 18.Qf3 Rae8 19.Qh3 19.a4! 19...Bd4 19...Qc7-+ 20.Qf3 Qe7 20.Be3 20...b5 20...Qc7! 21.Bxd4 21.exf5? Nb4-+ 21...cxd4 21.Bxd4 bxc4 22.Bc3 cxd3 23.Rg1 Rf7 23...Rxe4 24.Kh1 24.Kh1 Rxe4 24...d2 25.Qxh6 Nb4 26.Bxd2 fxe4 27.Bxb4 cxb4 25.Rg6? 25.Bxg7!= Rxg7 26.Rxg7+ Qxg7 27.Qxf5 25...Rxf4-+ 26.Rag1 Rg4! 27.R1xg4 fxg4 28.Qxd3 Nb4 29.Qe4 Re7 30.Qf4 30.Qxg4 Qxg4 31.Rxg4 30...Nxd5 31.Qc4 31.Qxg4 Qxg4 32.Rxg4 31...Qf5 32.Rxg4 Kh7 33.Bd2 Qf3+ 34.Kg1 Qd1+ 0–1 - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
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- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
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Nepomniachtchi,I | 2792 | Tari,A | 2642 | 0–1 | 2021 | | 9th Norway Chess 2021 | 8.1 |
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Aryan Tari | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Karjakin 0 - 3 Firouzja
Given their tournament situation, it is no surprise that Karjakin and Firouzja played a double-edged game. Firouzja felt that his opponent might have miscalculated on move 18.
The youngster correctly assessed that he was better after 18...Kd7. With both kings in the centre and White committed to advance his army on the kingside, the ensuing battle was highly tactical. Firouzja was in the driver’s seat and showed his great calculation abilities to convert his advantage into a win.
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h3 e5 7.Nf3 Be7 8.g4 h6 9.Rg1 9...Qc7N 9...Nc6 10.g5 hxg5 11.Nxg5 Qc7 12.Bc4 Nd8 13.Bb3 Ne6 14.Qe2 Nxg5 15.Bxg5 Rxh3 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Nh4 g6 11.Ng2 Be6 12.Ne3 Nbd7 13.h4 Qc6 14.Qf3 Nc5 15.Bg2 Na4 16.Ned5 16.Ncd5= Bxd5 17.exd5 16...Nxc3 17.Nxf6+ Bxf6 18.Qxf6 18...Kd7! 19.g5 19.b3 19...Nxe4 19...Na4-+ 20.c3 hxg5 21.Bxg5 Nxb2 20.Qf3 d5 21.Qd1 21...Qb6! 22.Be3 22.Qe2 22...Qxb2-+ 23.Bxe4 Qb4+ 24.c3 Qxe4 25.Rb1 hxg5 26.Rb4 d4! 27.cxd4 Ke8 27...gxh4? 28.dxe5+ Qd5 29.Rd4+- 28.hxg5? 28.a3 28...Rh3 29.Kd2 Bf5 30.Qb3 Rc8 31.Rc1 Rxc1 32.Kxc1 Rh1+ 33.Kd2 b5 34.d5 Qf3 0–1 - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Karjakin,S | 2758 | Firouzja,A | 2754 | 0–1 | 2021 | | 9th Norway Chess 2021 | 8.1 |
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Alireza Firouzja | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Standings after Round 8
Player |
Games |
Points |
Richard Rapport |
8 |
15½ |
Magnus Carlsen |
8 |
15 |
Alireza Firouzja |
8 |
12 |
Ian Nepomniactchi |
8 |
9½ |
Sergey Karjakin |
8 |
8½ |
Aryan Tari |
8 |
6 |
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