Chess Scout

Norway Chess is one of world’s most prestigious chess tournaments annually hosting a tournament with the global top players.
Every year, the chess elite meets in Stavanger to participate in this action-packed tournament, and for many players it is perhaps the most attractive tournament they participate in.


Norway Chess 2025

26 May – 6 June Stravanger City, Norway

Players

Magnus Carlsen (Norway)
Gukesh Dommaraju (India)
Fabiano Caruana (USA)
Wei Yi (China)
Arjun Erigaisi (India)
Ju Wenjun (China)
Vaishali Rameshbabu (India)
Anna Muzychuk (Ukraine)
Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (Spain)

More players to be announced autumn 2024 and up until January 2025.

Total prize fund: 1 690 000 NOK

#1 NOK 700 000
#2 NOK 350 000
#3 NOK 200 000
#4 NOK 170 000
#5 NOK 150 000
#6 NOK 120 000

Chess Scout
History of Norway Chess

The chess adventure started in 2012 with the idea to create the world’s strongest chess tournament. Founder of Norway Chess, Kjell Madland, questioned why there was no international elite chess tournament in the homeland of Magnus Carlsen (this was before Carlsen became World Champion). In October of 2011, Mr. Madland hosted a simultaneous chess tournament with Magnus Carlsen in the town of Ålgård. 25 players aged 10 to 80, a mix of celebrities and locals played against each other and the chess elite.

The very first Norway Chess tournament was organized before Magnus Carlsen became World Champion. At the time, it was unbelievable for most people that 6-7 hours of chess could entertain half of the Norwegian population in front of the TV. Today it’s become national TV sport and the Norwegian people talk about chess, play chess, and are passionate about this genuine, worldwide game in a whole new way. Other countries are now following.

Since its inception, Norway Chess has had a focus on being innovative, creative and highly professional. During the first few years the chess rounds where played at unique locations such as Flor & Fjære, the University of Stavanger, Aarbakke, Utstein monastery, and Stavanger Concert Hall. These events have been historic and given tremendous marketing of the region. Norway Chess has become a solid organization of international recognition. Besides world champion Magnus Carlsen, we have had participants and guests such as Vishy Anand and chess legend Garry Kasparov.

In 2017, Norway Chess hosted the strongest 10-player chess tournament in the history, according to the players’ ratings. The world chess elite meet in Stavanger annually to participate in what has now become more than just a tournament. Through Norway Chess, Stavanger has become a chess metropolis and an exemplar for a completely new way of thinking about chess and its role in society and in the world of sports.