American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura halted world champion D Gukesh’s winning streak in classical games with a dominant performance, earning a full three points, while India’s Arjun Erigaisi bounced back strongly with a victory over Fabiano Caruana at Norway Chess 2025.
In the eighth round of the prestigious event on Tuesday, Erigaisi capitalized on a time scramble to trap Caruana and secure a crucial win. Meanwhile, World No. 2 and former Norway Chess champion Nakamura took full advantage of playing with the white pieces, overpowering 19-year-old Gukesh in a smooth and clinical game—avenging his Round 3 loss to the Indian prodigy.
Despite a slow start to the tournament, Gukesh had regained momentum with impressive back-to-back wins over World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and Erigaisi in Rounds 6 and 7. However, against Nakamura, he found himself under relentless pressure for nearly four hours, unable to find any foothold as the American sealed a convincing win.
Hikaru Nakamura Ends D Gukesh’s Classical Win Streak; Arjun Erigaisi Reignites Hopes with Win Over Caruana at Norway Chess 2025
American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura decisively ended world champion D Gukesh’s string of classical victories, securing a full three points with a dominant performance. Meanwhile, India’s Arjun Erigaisi surged back into the race by defeating Fabiano Caruana in Round 8 of the prestigious Norway Chess 2025 tournament.
Erigaisi took advantage of a time scramble to trap Caruana, claiming a crucial win on Tuesday. On the other hand, World No. 2 Nakamura, a former Norway Chess champion, utilized the white pieces effectively, capitalizing on an early edge to outplay 19-year-old Gukesh in a nearly flawless game — avenging his earlier Round 3 loss to the young Indian star.
Gukesh, who had bounced back mid-tournament with stunning victories over World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and Erigaisi in Rounds 6 and 7, struggled against Nakamura’s relentless pressure throughout the nearly four-hour encounter and was given no room to recover.
With two rounds remaining, the standings tightened: Caruana still led with 12.5 points despite his loss, followed closely by Carlsen on 12. Gukesh and Nakamura shared third place at 11.5 points, while Erigaisi was close behind in fifth with 10.5 points.
“It was a very smooth game, I’m really happy with how it went,” said the 37-year-old Nakamura after the match. Reflecting on the win, he noted that Gukesh appeared uncomfortable with the pawn structure, which may have led to time pressure and ultimately made the win easier for the American.