India’s Top Grandmasters to Lead Charge at Norway Chess 2023

India’s Chess Prodigies to Lead Charge at Prestigious Norway Chess Tournament

Stavanger, Norway – Grandmasters R Praggnanandhaa, Koneru Humpy, and Vaishali Rameshbabu are set to showcase their skills at the upcoming Norway Chess tournament, scheduled to take place from May 27 to June 7. Known as the ‘Wimbledon of Chess’, this prestigious event attracts top grandmasters from around the world.

Praggnanandhaa, currently ranked No. 11 in the world, is expected to draw attention after his impressive fourth-place finish in the recent Superbet rapid and blitz tournament. He will be the sole Indian male player in the 12th edition of the tournament, which will also feature top players like World No.1 Magnus Carlsen, World No.3 Hikaru Nakamura, and current World Champion Ding Liren.

Having emerged victorious in the Norway Chess International Open Tournament in 2022, Praggnanandhaa will look to continue his winning streak. On the women’s side, India’s No. 2 player Humpy and No. 14 player Vaishali, who is Praggnanandhaa’s sister, will compete against a strong field that includes world champion Ju Wenjun of China.

In a groundbreaking move for gender equality in chess, Norway Chess has introduced the world’s first-ever equal female tournament this year. This initiative aims to promote and popularize the women’s game by offering an equal prize fund for female players.

Legendary Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, who has previously competed in Norway Chess, praised the tournament’s efforts to support women in chess. “They experiment a lot with the format and time controls. I welcome their attempt to help popularize the women’s game by having an equal prize fund for the women this year,” Anand said.

With India’s young talents leading the charge and the introduction of the equal female tournament, the upcoming Norway Chess event promises to be an exciting and historic competition for chess enthusiasts worldwide.