Stavanger, May 28 (IANS) The much-anticipated clash between world no. 1 Magnus Carlsen and world 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 Nakamura found a brilliant move, winning the game.

Fabiano 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.

The all-Indian encounter saw Erigaisi prevail over World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju in a tension-filled contest. 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 the victory.

Anna Muzychuk claimed a convincing victory over Humpy Koneru in today’s Norway Chess Women 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.

–IANS

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