Arjun Erigaisi joined Hikaru Nakamura in the lead at the Norway Chess 2025 after handing compatriot and World champion Gukesh Dommaraju a second straight defeat on Tuesday.
After two rounds of action-packed games in Stavanger, Erigaisi and Nakamura share the lead with 4.5 points each.
Erigaisi seized early initiative, but Gukesh's resilient defense created a somewhat equal endgame.
As the clock became a decisive factor, the position erupted into chaos before Erigaisi finally broke through to secure victory.
Meanwhile, Fabiano Caruana bounced back with a fine win over Wei Yi, while Magnus Carlsen first spoiled a promising classical position against Nakamura and then lost a crazy armageddon where he couldn't put the finishing touches to a winning attack before the US star hit back.
The much-anticipated clash between world No. 1 Carlsen and No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura began with a deceptively quiet classical game. Carlsen emerged satisfied from the opening, noting in the confessional booth that "White had to prove equality.” However, after a series of precise moves on both sides, the game inevitably dissolved into a draw.
In the Armageddon, Carlsen got a dangerous attack out of the opening and seemed to have everything under control. However, Armageddon can be unpredictable, and after a mistake in the endgame Hikaru Nakamura found a brilliant move, winning the game.
Caruana responded to his opening round setback, grinding out an impressive black-piece victory against China's Yi Wei in a complex battle. The American grandmaster showcased his trademark precision in a game that balanced on a knife's edge before tilting in his favor.
Anna Muzychuk leads women
Anna Muzychuk claimed a convincing victory over Humpy Koneru in the women's action. The Ukrainian star gained a structural advantage from the opening and methodically increased the pressure. However, both players made several mistakes in the endgame. Eventually, it was Koneru who made the last mistake, as a result of which Muzychuk won the game.
Both other two games, Vaishali Rameshbabu against Tingjie Lei, and Sarasadat Khademalsharieh against Ju Wenjun, ended in draw. Both Lei Tingjie and Wenjun Ju won their Armageddon games, winning the extra points.
Standings after Round 2:
1. Hikaru Nakamura (USA) 4.5, 2. Arjun Erigaisi (IND) 4.5, 3. Magnus Carlsen (NOR), 4. Fabiano Caruana (USA) 3, 5. Wei Yi (CHN) 1, 6. Gukesh Dommaraju (IND) 0.