Norway Chess: Caruana beats Carlsen, Gukesh defeats Firouzja

by André Schulz
5/31/2023 – The spectators were treated to an entertaining opening round of the Norway chess tournament and saw two surprises. Carlsen was defeated by Caruana. And the duel of the young stars was won by Gukesh against Firouzja. | Photos: Lennart Ootes
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The organising team in Stavanger around spiritus rector Kjell Madland have again put together a very interesting field for the 11th Norway Chess Tournament. The star of the event - world champion or not - is always Magnus Carlsen. At the Superbet Rapid and Blitz in Warsaw he once again showed who is boss - at least in blitz. And that was enough to win the event. 

Let our authors show you how Carlsen tailored his openings to be able to outplay his opponents strategically in the middlegame or to obtain an enduring advantage into the endgame.

When did Carlsen last play a classical game? After the Tata Steel tournament, where he finished second behind Anish Giri, Carlsen made three more appearances for his club Offerspill in the Norwegian Elite Series in March. His last game as World Champion was against David Howell - a draw.

The game is now played again according to the Norway Chess formula: A draw is followed by an Armageddon game, with the winner receiving 1.5 points and the loser 1 point. A victory in the classical game is worth 3 points.

In round 1 Carlsen played with Black against Fabiano Caruana. Five years ago the two played a match for the World Championship. It was Caruana's best time.

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.

With just one win in the World Championship match he would have overtaken Carlsen in the world rankings, so close was he to him. But all the games ended in draws and Caruana had no chance in the play-off.

In the World Championship match the Sicilian Sveshnikov was the big theme. In Stavanger Carlsen defended with the French Defence. In the Classical Variation, Carlsen was always slightly worse and under pressure. But eventually he lost the thread and Caruana managed to do what he had failed to do in the World Championship match. He won.

Things aren't easy

Caruana, Fabiano27641–0Carlsen, Magnus2853Carlsen
11th Norway Chess 2023
Stavanger30.05.2023[Schulz,A]		GM
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 a6 8.Ne2 The main line arises after 8.Qd2 b5 8...Qb6 9.Qc1 Be7 10.c3 0-0 11.g3 f6 11...a5 12.Qc2 cxd4 13.Nexd4 Nc5 14.Rb1 Bd7 15.Be2 Rac8 16.0-0 Ne4= 1/2-1/2 (53) So,W (2770)-Nepomniachtchi,I (2792) chess24.com INT 2021 12.Bg2 12.Bh3 cxd4 13.cxd4 13.Nexd4 13...fxe5 14.dxe5 Bc5 15.Bd2 Bf2+ 16.Kd1 Nc5 17.Qc2 Bd7 18.Ng5 g6 19.Rf1 Nd4 20.Qb1 Ba4+ 21.b3 Ncxb3 22.Rxf2 Nxa1+ 23.Kc1 Nxe2+ 24.Rxe2 Rac8+ 0-1 (24) Vallejo Pons,F (2704)-Xu, Y (2555) Moscow 2019 12...cxd4 13.cxd4 Qa5+ 13...fxe5 14.fxe5 Qb5 15.Nc3 Qd3 16.Qd2 Qxd2+ 17.Kxd2= 1/2-1/2 (90) Le,Q (2713)-Bluebaum,M (2644) Moscow 2019 14.Nc3 14.Bd2 Qd8 15.0-0 Nb6 16.exf6 Rxf6 17.b3 Bd7 18.Ne5 Nc8 19.f5 Nb6 20.fxe6 Nxe5 21.Rxf6 Bb5 22.dxe5 gxf6 23.Nd4 fxe5 24.Nf5 Be8 25.Ba5 Bf6 26.Qc5 1-0 (26) Vallejo Pons,F (2705)-Danielsen,H (2542) Porto Carras 2011 14...Nb6 15.exf6 Bxf6 16.b3 Bd7 17.0-0 Rac8 18.Qd2 Be7 19.Ne2 Qxd2 20.Bxd2
White has more space and the more comfortable position. 20...Rc7 20...Ba3!? 21.Rac1 Rfc8 21...Bd6!? might have been more careful. The text-move invites White to play... 22.f5 Ba3 22...exf5 23.Bf4+- 23.Rce1 Bb4 24.Bxb4 Nxb4 25.fxe6 Bxe6 26.Nf4 Bf5
27.Ne5 Emphasising the loose position of the bishop on f5. g6 28.g4 Be4 After 28...Bd7 White has 29.a3 Nc2 30.Nxd7 Rxd7 31.Re6 and Black has problems to coordinate his pieces. Rc6 32.Re8+ Kg7 33.Ne6+ Kh6 34.g5+ Kh5 35.Bf3++- 29.Bxe4 dxe4 30.a3?! N4d5 30...Nc2 31.Rxe4 Re7= 31.Rxe4
31...Rc3? After 31...Nxf4 32.Rexf4 Nd5 33.R4f3 Rc3 White is a pawn up, but still has a lot of work to do to win. 32.Nd7 Rxb3? 32...Nxd7 33.Nxd5 Rxb3 34.Ne7++- Necessary was 32...Rc1 33.Nxb6 Nxb6 34.g5 Rxf1+ 35.Kxf1 though White is clearly better. 33.Nxd5 Nxd5 34.Re5 Nc3 34...Ne3 35.Nf6+ Kg7 35...Kh8 36.Re7 with mate to follow. 36.Re7+ Kh6 37.Rxh7+ Kg5 38.h4# 35.Nf6+ 1–0

Robert Ris analyses

When Gukesh watched the 2018 World Championship match, he was just 12 years old, while his opponent of round 1, Alireza Firouzja, was 15. The game of the two young stars saw an Italian that for a long time was even (though rather complicated). But then Firouzja, who was in terrible time trouble (20 seconds for 9 moves without increment), overlooked a venomous counter.

In this Fritztrainer: “Attack like a Super GM” with Gukesh we touch upon all aspects of his play, with special emphasis on how you can become a better attacking player.

Firouzja, Alireza27850–1Gukesh D2732
11th Norway Chess 2023
Stavanger30.05.2023[Schulz,A]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.0-0 d6 6.c3 h6 7.Nbd2 a5 8.Re1 0-0 9.Nf1 a4 10.Bb5 a3 11.b4 Bb6 12.Bc4 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.Nxe3 Ne7 14.Ba4 Ng6 15.Bb3 Re8= 1/2-1/2 (107) Mishra,A (2553)-Hong,A (2504) Saint Louis 2022 12...Ne7 13.Ng3 13.Be3 Bxe3 14.Nxe3 c6 15.Bb3 Ng6= 0-1 (43) Van Foreest,L (2500)-Anton Guijarro, D (2642) Skopje 2018 13...Ng6 14.h3 c6 15.Bb3 d5= 16.exd5 Nxd5 17.Bd2 Be6 18.Nh5 Bc7 18...Nde7!? 19.Bxe6 fxe6= 19.d4 exd4
20.Nxd4 Firouzja refrains from 20.Bxh6!? gxh6 20...Ndf4 21.Bxf4 Bxb3 22.Qxb3 Nxf4 23.Nxf4 Bxf4 24.Nxd4 and White is a pawn up. 24.Re4!? 21.Qxd4+- 20...Qd6 21.Ng3 Rad8 22.Nxe6 fxe6 23.Qg4 Ne5= 24.Qe2 Nxb4 25.Bg5 An in-between move to worsen Black's pawn structure. 25.cxb4 Qxd2 26.Qxd2 Rxd2 25...hxg5 26.cxb4 g6 27.Rad1 Qxb4 28.Bxe6+? White has no time to snap this pawn because Black has a powerful attack. 28.Ne4= 28...Kh8 29.Rb1? Relatively best was 29.Rxd8 Rxd8 30.Bb3 Rd2 31.Qe4 Qc5 32.Re2 Rb2 though Black is clearly better here. 29...Qf4 White is in serious trouble. 30.Rxb7 Nd3 31.Rd1
31...Nc1 Nice! White's queen is overloaded. 32.Rxc1 Qxc1+ 33.Kh2 Rd2 34.Qe4 Rfxf2 35.Rxc7 Rxg2+ 36.Qxg2 Rxg2+ 37.Kxg2 Qd2+ 37...Qd2+ 38.Kh1 Qe1+ 39.Kg2 Qxe6-+ 0–1


D. Gukesh

The winner of the Norway Chess Blitz tournament was Nodirbek Abdusattorov, born in 2004, one year later than Firouzja. The Uzbek has already won a world championship title, in 2021 in rapid chess. He started the tournament today against former prodigy Anish Giri. The classic game between the two ended in a draw. Giri won the Armageddon.

The "senior duel" in the first round was played by Wesley So (b. 1993) and Hikaru Nakamura (b. 1987). Again, the classical game ended in a draw. So won the Armageddon.

Wesley So published two new opening DVDs: 1.b3, the so called Nimzo-Larsen-Attack, for White and his black secrets in the modern Italian. Get them in a package and save money!

Despite his loss in Armageddon, Nakamura analysed the game in his GMHikaru stream:

At 36, Nakamura is only the second oldest player in the tournament. Shahriyar Mamedyarov (b. 1985) has taken on the role of the tournament's Methuselah. The Azeri was up against the second Norwegian in the field, Aryan Tari. Tari is the local hero, born in Stavanger in 1999. The classical game ended in a draw but the nimble Mamedyarov won the Armageddon.

Round 1 scores

Standings

Games

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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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André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.
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