Stavanger (Norway), June 6(HS): The ninth round of Norway Chess 2025 featured thrilling matches that dramatically altered the standings. Magnus Carlsen, the world number 1, triumphed over Fabiano Caruana, gaining the upper hand early and breaking through Caruana's defenses in the endgame. Reigning World Champion Gukesh capitalized on Wei Yi’s critical blunder, playing aggressively and sealing his victory in the endgame. Hikaru Nakamura faced Arjun Erigaisi in a classical match that ended in a draw, but Nakamura clinched victory in the subsequent Armageddon game, earning extra points. As a result, Carlsen leads by half a point, closely followed by Gukesh going into the final round.

In the women’s tournament, the ninth round also saw significant changes. Vaishali Rameshbabu faced Sara Khademalsharieh, who expertly maintained pressure to secure her win. Anna Muzychuk gained an early advantage against Ju Wenjun by sacrificing an exchange, ultimately winning following a defensive error by Ju. In the match between Koneru Humpy and Lei Tingjie, Humpy's initial dominance fell apart due to a critical mistake, allowing Lei to claim victory. Currently, Anna Muzychuk leads by two points, but Humpy Koneru and others remain in contention for the title.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar