Stavanger (Norway), June 4(HS): In the eighth round of Norway Chess 2025, notable matches took place. The highlight was the clash between world champion D. Gukesh and Hikaru Nakamura, with Nakamura winning decisively and gaining three points. Gukesh, who had shown solid defense previously, succumbed to Nakamura's aggressive strategies. In another key match, Arjun Erigasi faced Fabiano Caruana, who, despite a superior endgame position, faltered under time pressure, allowing Erigasi to seize the win and also secure three points. The match between Magnus Carlsen and Wei Yi ended in a draw, but Wei triumphed in the Armageddon playoff.

In the women's section, Koneru Humpy remained the frontrunner, overcoming Sara Khadem despite a brief slip due to time constraints; Khadem missed the opportunity to capitalize, leading to Humpy's victory and three points. Anna Muzychuk and R. Vaishali both won their Armageddon matches against Lei Tingjie and Ju Wenjun, respectively, after drawn regular play. The points table has become competitive, suggesting that upcoming rounds will be even more exhilarating.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar