{"id":12644,"date":"2025-05-30T19:57:45","date_gmt":"2025-05-30T19:57:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/norwaychess.no\/?p=12644"},"modified":"2025-05-30T20:00:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T20:00:14","slug":"chess-cowboys-take-over-westernbyen-norway-chess-games-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/norwaychess.no\/en\/2025\/05\/30\/chess-cowboys-take-over-westernbyen-norway-chess-games-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Chess Cowboys Take Over Westernbyen: Norway Chess Games 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a dramatic twist from the chessboard to the Wild West, the world\u2019s top chess players swapped pawns for pistols, sieves, and lassos in this year\u2019s edition of Norway Chess Games.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Held on a tournament rest day, the tradition of light-hearted competition continued in unforgettable fashion with the \u201cChess Cowboy Challenge\u201d, a high-spirited showdown in Westernbyen, a Western-themed village in \u00c5lg\u00e5rd, just outside Stavanger.<\/p>\n

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Photo:<\/strong> Norway Chess \/ Tor Nilssen & Kjetil V. Tveito<\/em><\/p>\n

This year\u2019s participants was -the star-studded lineup from Norway Chess and Norway Chess Women. Sarasadat Khademalsharieh was unfortunately not able to join, and stepping in was Ella Carlsen, wife of Magnus, proving to be quite the sharpshooter in more ways than one.<\/p>\n

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Photo:<\/strong> Norway Chess \/ Michal Walusza<\/em><\/p>\n

Adopting their new Western personas, the players embraced the theme wholeheartedly:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Magnus \u201cThe Lone GOAT\u201d Carlsen
\nCaruana \u201cThe Sicilian Sniper\u201d
\nHikaru \u201cThe Blitz Bandit\u201d Nakamura
\nArjun \u201cNo Slip\u201d Erigaisi
\nWei \u201cThe Quiet Storm\u201d Yi
\nGukesh \u201cThe Chennai Sharpshooter\u201d D<\/p>\n

Vaishali \u201cThe Rising Rider\u201d Rameshbabu
\nAnna \u201cIce Veins\u201d Muzychuk
\nHumpy \u201cThe Hammer\u201d Koneru
\nLei \u201cThe Lockdown\u201d Tingjie
\nJu \u201cNo-Loss\u201d Wenjun
\nElla Carlsen (stepping in as an honorary cowgirl)<\/p>\n

With nicknames as fierce as their over-the-board styles, the competitors were more than ready to tackle the cowboy gauntlet ahead.<\/p>\n

The Chess Cowboy Challenge took them through a series of wild tasks. They faced the Sheriff\u2019s memory test in a jail escape, sought enlightenment by solving the priest\u2019s riddle in the chapel, mined for gold, and tried their hand at axe throwing beside the church. Air rifles, lasso tosses, cowboy quizzes at the pleasure house, and classic horseshoe throws added to the flavor of the day, with real horses roaming the scene for that authentic atmosphere.<\/p>\n

Each team, made up of one male and one female player, competed across all stations as they worked their way through the village.<\/p>\n

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Photos:<\/strong> Norway Chess \/ Michal Walusza<\/em><\/p>\n

Final Standings:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

1st place:<\/strong> Magnus & Ella Carlsen \u2014 crowned\u00a0Chess Sheriffs<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Photo:<\/strong> Norway Chess \/ Tor Nilssen & Kjetil V. Tveito<\/em><\/p>\n

2nd place:<\/strong> Hikaru Nakamura & Anna Muzychuk<\/p>\n

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Photo:<\/strong> Norway Chess \/ Tor Nilssen & Kjetil V. Tveito<\/em><\/p>\n

3rd place:<\/strong> Fabiano Caruana & Vaishali Rameshbabu<\/p>\n

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Photo:<\/strong> Norway Chess \/ Tor Nilssen & Kjetil V. Tveito<\/em><\/p>\n

4th place:<\/strong> Gukesh D & Ju Wenjun<\/p>\n

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Photo:<\/strong> Norway Chess \/ Tor Nilssen & Kjetil V. Tveito<\/em><\/p>\n

5th place:<\/strong> Wei Yi & Lei Tingjie<\/p>\n

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Photo:<\/strong> Norway Chess \/ Tor Nilssen & Kjetil V. Tveito<\/em><\/p>\n

6th place:<\/strong> Arjun Erigaisi & Humpy Koneru<\/p>\n

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Photo:<\/strong> Norway Chess \/ Tor Nilssen & Kjetil V. Tveito<\/em><\/p>\n

The celebration wrapped up with a grand Western-style barbecue featuring a rich spread of meats, seafood, salads, and even paella. With the challenges behind them, players, crew and the organizers alike kicked back to enjoy the food, the sun, and each other\u2019s company.<\/p>\n

A massive thank you to the team at Westernbyen, the All Western Cowboys: The Sheriff, Zeb Hunter, Monique, Mrs. R. Hunter, Little Joe, Jack O\u2019Mally, John, Billy, Penny, and Blueberry<\/strong>. <\/strong><\/p>\n

About Norway Chess Games<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Norway Chess Games is an annual tradition held during the tournament\u2019s rest day. It gives the world\u2019s best players a break from intense competition and a chance to connect in creative, unexpected ways. Previous editions have included:<\/p>\n