Round 7 of the Norway Chess tournament delivered an array of gripping matches and pivotal moments that have significantly impacted the standings. With top players facing off in high-stakes games, the outcomes of this round have set the stage for an exciting conclusion to the tournament.

Both Norway Chess and Norway Chess Women saw intense battles, strategic plays, and key victories that have reshaped the leaderboard and heightened the competition.

In the highly anticipated game between Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura, the classical game ended in a draw relatively quickly, as both sides avoided complicated positions. The Armageddon tiebreak was one of the most intense games so far in the tournament, as Nakamura won when Carlsen’s time ran out on the clock. This win brought Nakamura within half a point of Carlsen, who is leading the tournament.

Credits: Norway Chess / Stev Bonhage

The other two games in the round, Fabiano Caruana vs. Alireza Firouzja and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu vs. Ding Liren, also ended in a draw. Ding Liren, who has been underperforming with four losses in a row, finally stopped the bleeding with a much needed draw.

Credits: Norway Chess / Stev Bonhage

In Norway Chess Women, one of the highlights of the day was the match between Koneru Humpy and Vaishali Rameshbabu as Koneru Humpy scored the only classical victory of the day in both tournaments. With this loss, the former tournament leader Vaishali Rameshbabu’s winning chances have significantly decreased.

Credits: Norway Chess / Stev Bonhage

While the game between co-leaders Anna Muzychuk and Ju Wenjun ended peacefully, it was Muzychuk who won the Armageddon tiebreak. With this win, Muzychuk is now the sole leader of the tournament, just half a point ahead of the World Champion Ju Wenjun.

Credits: Norway Chess / Stev Bonhage

Stay tuned as the tournament progresses, promising more high-stakes drama and spectacular chess performances from the world’s top players.