Magnus Carlsen won his sixth Norway Chess title after a year break, while Women's World Champion Ju Wenjun emerged victorious in the inaugural women's event. 

The 12th edition of this prestigious competition took place in Stavanger, Norway, from May 27 to June 7. Both tournaments were 6-player double-round robins with equal prize funds. Each round consisted of a classical game with a win worth 3 points and a loss - 0. In the case of a draw, the players played an Armageddon game, where the winner scored 1½ points, and the loser got just 1 point, with a draw favoring Black.

The final round of the Norway Chess and Norway Chess Women tournament began with several scenarios that could play out to determine the winner of both tournaments. It saw several thrilling games played to fight for the first place.

Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana drew their classical game, meaning they had to continue to battle it out in an Armageddon game. Carlsen won the Armageddon tiebreak, and with this win, he secured at least a tie for first place in the tournament, having to wait for the result of the game between Hikaru Nakamura and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu.

The American GM was in a must-win situation, but the game ended in a draw. The 18-year-old chess prodigy Praggnanandhaa won the tiebreak game, finishing the tournament on a high note. It is noteworthy that Praggnanandhaa defeated both h world number 1 Carlsen and world number 2 Caruana in the tournament.

With these results, Magnus Carlsen has clinched his sixth Norway Chess title. This is a huge victory for the home country hero, as he has not played many classical tournaments recently.

Norway Chess 2024 final standings:

In one of the critical games in Norway Chess Women, Anna Muzychuk and Humpy Koneru drew their game, which meant that Muzychuk's chances of winning the tournament disappeared. Meanwhile, the Women's World Champion, Ju Wenjun, beat Lei Tingjie. With this win, Ju Wenjun made history by becoming the first winner of the inaugural Norway Chess Women tournament.

The last game of the tournament was between the young Indian talent Vaishali Rameshbabu and the legendary Pia Cramling. While Vaishali obtained a winning position at some point, it was Cramling pushing for a win in the endgame; however, it eventually ended peacefully. Cramling won the tiebreak game, finishing the tournament on a positive note.

Norway Chess Women 2024 final standings:

As the tournaments have come to an end, we congratulate Magnus Carlsen and Ju Wenjun on their well-deserved wins. This year, Norway Chess was bigger than ever, attracting a stellar lineup of competitors and delivering high-stakes excitement from start to finish. The addition of the Norway Chess Women tournament marked a significant milestone, highlighting the event's growth and commitment to inclusivity in the sport.

Text: Norway Chess

Photos: Norway Chess / Stev Bonhage

Official website: norwaychess.no/en/