Stavanger, Jan 21 (IANS): Norway Chess, which has already got confirmation from five of the top-10 in FIDE Rankings, on Tuesday announced that world-renowned American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, currently ranked World No. 3, will compete in Norway Chess 2025. This will be Nakamura’s seventh time at Norway Chess, where his exciting games and competitive spirit have made him a favourite among fans.

This year’s event promises intense battles as the youngest World Champion, Gukesh Dommaraju, takes on the world’s top three players. Adding to the excitement, India’s No.1 Arjun Erigaisi and China’s No.1 Wei Yi will make their Norway Chess debuts. The prestigious event to be held in Stavanger, Norway from May 26 to June 6, 2025, will feature World No.1 Magnus Carlsen, World No.2 Fabiano Caruana, World No. 3 Hikaru Nakamura, World No. 4 Arjun Erigaisi, World No. 5 Gukesh D, World No. 9 Wei Yi.

"This is one of the strongest line-ups in a chess tournament ever, with four of them with a rating over 2800 – the average rating across players is 2795. There are only five rating points that separate it from the strongest tournament we had, which was Norway Chess in 2017," the organizers of the event informed in a release on Tuesday.

With a FIDE rating of 2802, Nakamura has won five U.S. Chess Championships, is the reigning FIDE World Fischer Random Chess Champion, and was the Norway Chess Champion in 2023. Beyond tournaments, Nakamura has built a large following as a chess streamer, sharing his games and insights with fans around the world. His presence, both online and at live events, continues to inspire both fellow players and the chess audience.

Nakamura shared his enthusiasm for returning to Norway Chess, emphasizing the relationships and challenges the event offers. “What excites me the most about returning to Norway Chess is seeing all the familiar faces I've come to know over the past decade of this event, as well as competing against the future stars of chess like Gukesh and Arjun,” Nakamura was quoted as saying in the release.

When asked which competitor he was most eager to face, Nakamura added, “I am most excited to play against Wei Yi because I have only played him once or twice, whereas I'm pretty familiar with the styles of all the other players.”

Hikaru Nakamura’s return also revives one of chess’s most well-known rivalries. Magnus Carlsen, widely considered one of the greatest players of all time, has often described Nakamura as one of his toughest opponents.

Norway Chess founder and tournament director Kjell Madland welcomed Nakamura’s return, saying, “Hikaru is one of the top players in the world, and he always brings a great mix of skill and energy to the tournament. He’s a player who knows how to connect with fans, and we’re excited to have him back for 2025.”