{"id":13600,"date":"2025-10-10T10:27:42","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T10:27:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/norwaychess.no\/?page_id=13600"},"modified":"2025-12-19T13:31:56","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T13:31:56","slug":"the-history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/norwaychess.no\/en\/the-history\/","title":{"rendered":"The History"},"content":{"rendered":"

What started as an ambitious idea in 2012 quickly grew into one of the most respected chess tournaments in the world.<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Founded in 2013 with the ambition to bring together the world\u2019s best chess players, Norway Chess<\/strong> set out to create a tournament unlike any other \u2014 combining sporting excellence with innovation and a modern presentation of the game.<\/span><\/p>\n

From its very first edition, Norway Chess<\/strong> was praised for its professionalism, strong organization, and for doing things differently from traditional tournaments. From the start, the players experienced top-level hospitality that allowed them to focus fully on their game, while matches were held in unique and exciting venues across the Stavanger region such as the beautiful gardens of Flor & Fj\u00e6re (located on an island of S\u00f8r-Hidle), the University of Stavanger, Utstein Monastery, and Stavanger Concert Hall. With high-quality TV coverage and strong sponsor support, Norway Chess quickly set a new standard for how elite chess could be presented to the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

Always looking to push boundaries, Norway Chess introduced a major change in 2019 with a new time control<\/strong> \u2014 two hours per player without increment; plus a 10-second increment per move after move 40. This adjustment brought a faster and more dynamic rhythm to the classical games, increasing both tension and viewer engagement. That same year, the tournament also added the Armageddon playoff \u2014 <\/strong>a new time control ensuring every game would have a decisive result. Together, these innovations reshaped the way elite chess could be played and experienced.<\/span><\/p>\n

Norway Chess was also behind the idea and creation of Fantasy Chess<\/strong>, a company co-founded by Iterate and Magnus Carlsen. The company is today known as Take Take Take<\/strong>; a new, interactive way for fans to connect with the game. The\u00a0concept aimed to bring the excitement of fantasy sports into chess, letting fans follow players and tournaments in a more engaging way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the years, Norway Chess<\/strong> has continued to evolve, consistently attracting the world\u2019s best players<\/strong> \u2014 including Magnus Carlsen<\/strong>, Fabiano Caruana<\/strong>, Hikaru Nakamura<\/strong>, and Alireza Firouzja<\/strong>. Since 2024<\/strong>, the tournament has also welcomed leading female players such as Ju Wenjun<\/strong>, Anna Muzychuk<\/strong>, and Humpy Koneru<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

In total, 18 of the highest-rated players in chess history<\/strong> have competed in Norway Chess \u2014 with Garry Kasparov<\/strong> as the only exception among the all-time greats, though he has visited the event twice.<\/span><\/p>\n