A major new chapter begins for one of the crown jewels of the international chess calendar. For the first time in thirteen years, Norway Chess is leaving its traditional home in Stavanger and moving to the capital city of Oslo.
Scheduled from May 25 to June 5, 2026, at the Deichman Bjรธrvika, the event once again features equal billing and identical prize structures for both its open and women’s fields, reinforcing a pioneering commitment to gender equality in top-level chess.
The dual double-round-robin events feature six elite competitors in each group playing over ten intense rounds. Keeping with the tournament’s signature high-stakes format, every single match must produce a definitive winner. If a classical game ends in a peaceful result, players immediately head into a rapid-fire Armageddon decider to determine the final point distribution.
Norway Chess Open:
The open section features an incredible mix of established legends and explosive young talent, led by local hero Magnus Carlsen. As the world number one since 2011 and a record seven-time winner of this event, Carlsen will face fierce resistance from a highly motivated pack.
The field includes reigning World Champion Gukesh D, the youngest undisputed world champion in history, who famously secured his first classical win over Carlsen at last year’s event. He is joined by fellow Indian prodigy Praggnanandhaa R, who qualified for the Candidates by capturing the FIDE Circuit and has previously defeated Carlsen in classical play at Norway Chess.
Making his highly anticipated tournament debut is Germanyโs number one, Vincent Keymer, who shattered the worldโs elite ranks over the past year by climbing all the way to World No. 4. Rounding out the star-studded lineup are Alireza Firouzja of France, the youngest player to ever cross the 2800 rating threshold, and the incredibly solid American grandmaster Wesley So, a three-time U.S. Champion making his sixth tournament appearance.
Norway Chess Women:
The women’s event promises an equally spectacular clash, featuring three reigning or former world champions and two highly anticipated debutants. Ju Wenjun of China, the reigning five-time classical Womenโs World Champion and inaugural 2024 Norway Chess Women winner, returns to reclaim her crown. She will have to go through the defending champion, Anna Muzychuk of Ukraine, who lifted the trophy last year after a stellar performance.
They are joined by Indian legend Humpy Koneru, the first woman from her country to earn the Grandmaster title, making her third appearance in the event.
Two exciting new faces will make their tournament debuts after massive breakthroughs: China’s Zhu Jiner, who rapidly rose to the world number two spot among women, and 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh of India, who earned her GM title by winning the FIDE Womenโs World Cup.
Completing the field is Kazakhstanโs speed-chess phenomenon Bibisara Assaubayeva, the reigning three-time Womenโs World Blitz Champion.
Tournament Details
Under the tournament rules, classical games grant players 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, with a 10-second increment added starting on move 41. To guarantee maximum fighting spirit, draw agreements are strictly forbidden before move 30. If a classical game ends in a draw, the Armageddon decider follows within 20 minutes; White receives 10 minutes on the clock against Black’s 7 minutes, but Black holds the coveted “draw odds” meaning a tie translates to a victory for Black.
The scoring system aggressively rewards direct victories:
Classical Win: 3 points
Classical Loss: 0 points
Classical Draw & Armageddon Win: 1ยฝ points
Classical Draw & Armageddon Loss: 1 point
If players tie for first place at the end of the ten rounds, a blitz play-off will decide the ultimate champion. Both the Open and Womenโs tournaments boast a prize pool of 1,690,000 NOK each, with a staggering 700,000 NOK reserved strictly for the first-place finishers.
Backed by a dedicated Fair Play team conducting both visible and invisible security checks, Oslo is completely ready to host a world-class festival of pure strategy.
