Browsing: Norway

Magnus Carlsen vs D Gukesh (Norway Chess Photo) NEW DELHI: The chess world has recently undergone a mix of surprise and confusion after last weekâ€s announcement of the new “Total Chess World Championship”, a concept developed by Norway Chess and officially approved by the International Chess Federation (FIDE).From Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathiâ€s witty explainer video to fans debating whether the sport really needs another “world titleâ€, the buzz around this unexpected development is undeniable.However, what makes this move remarkable is its timing. Barely months ago, FIDE had been locked in a public feud with the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, the independent tour launched by Magnus Carlsen and German entrepreneur Jan Henric Buettner.That clash began in late 2023 when Freestyle organisers tried to call their champion the “Freestyle Chess World Championâ€. FIDE objected immediately, insisting it alone held the right to sanction any world championship title in chess.The disagreement soon became one of the most talked-about controversies in modern chess.

What Will Happen to Iconic Norway Chess Tournament After Total Chess?

Players feared being barred from official FIDE events, open letters flew between organisers and officials, and Carlsen even published private messages accusing FIDE president Arkady Dvorkovich of breaking promises.The issue finally cooled in February 2025 when Freestyle agreed to drop the “World Championship†label, with TimesofIndia.com revealing how, in a private Weissenhaus meeting, top-rated Freestyle Chess players unanimously decided the 2025 Grand Slam winner would be crowned “Freestyle Chess Champion”.Now, just months later, FIDE appears to have taken a more flexible approach, formally allowing Norway Chess to use the title “World Championship†for its “Total Chess†project.“We wanted to create something completely new with a tour system, and we wondered if it’s possible to get the World Championship title. It would be perfect,†Kjell Madland, founder, CEO and tournament director of Norway Chess told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interaction.“So, I had a meeting with Arkady (FIDE President) about 14 months ago to explain our ideas. Over the following months, we had very good discussions on how to make this work together. I told him that this is the Norway Chess project, but we want FIDE on board because we want the title and also to collaborate on rules and other details.â€The negotiations were not without challenges as Madland, who is also the tournament director of Norway Chess, revealed, “Of course, there are always challenges, but if you are respectful to the people youâ€re discussing with and listen carefully while communicating well, both parties will work to solve the issues.â€Behind the scenes, Norway Chessâ€s credibility also helped.”We were no strangers to FIDE when we first approached them,” Norway Chess COO Benedicte Westre Skog said. “Weâ€ve been in the chess world for quite some years now, and people know us. We have also proven that we’re capable of delivering.”Perhaps the most interesting detail is how secretive the process was.According to Madland, even the top players, including Carlsen and current World Champion D Gukesh, were kept completely in the dark until after the deal was signed. “Before the deal was signed, we didn’t talk to anyone. No players at all, not Magnus or other players. So he didnâ€t know anything about this,†Madland revealed. The decision to keep things under wraps was deliberate as the organisers wanted to avoid speculation or leaks before FIDEâ€s approval. As per our understanding, Norway Chess and FIDE officially signed the agreement on the “World Championship” on October 7, and it was made public later on October 15.“Since the agreement, weâ€ve spoken with some players to get their feedback on the regulations, including Magnus, Gukesh, and a few others. But before the deal, no players knew anything about this,†added the tournament director.The “Total Chess†concept itself differs from Freestyleâ€s approach. While Freestyle Chess is based on the Fischer Random format and is unrated by FIDE, Norway Chess top bosses wanted to stick to rated forms of chess: classical, rapid, and blitz.That distinction may have been what allowed FIDE to lend its approval this time.

Poll

Do you think the new Total Chess World Championship is needed in the chess community?

By staying within the rated framework and maintaining a close contact, Norway Chess, already a proven innovator in the chess world with inventions like Armageddon, the Confession Booth, and more over the years, managed to avoid the jurisdictional clash that sank Freestyleâ€s attempt.FIDE, in turn, supported them without appearing to lose control over the “World Championship†title.But why grant one independent organiser the use of the “World Championship†tag while denying another? The difference, it is understood, lies in how the two sides approached the federation.With Carlsen only playing the classical format in Norway Chess, thereâ€s a sense that the introduction of this new multi-format championship, combining faster classical, rapid, and blitz, could see the world No. 1 competing for the new title, attracting more attention, sponsorship, and money.Whether it succeeds in unifying formats and bringing all elites of the game under one roof remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: Norway Chess has managed what even the Freestyle tour could not.

Source link

Oct 11, 2025, 02:56 PM ET

OSLO, Norway — Manchester City star Erling Haaland twice missed a penalty for Norway against Israel but still wound up with a hat trick in a 5-0 World Cup qualifying win on Saturday.

Haaland’s first penalty was hit low and saved by Daniel Peretz. But Polish referee Szymon Marciniak ordered the kick to be retaken because the goalkeeper had moved off his line too soon.

Editor’s Picks

1 Related

He tried the other way the second time, aiming for the corner, but Peretz guessed correctly again and palmed his effort away as Haaland looked on disbelievingly.

Haaland made up for it later in the first half when he scored with a low strike after latching onto Alexander Sørloth‘s pass, his 10th goal in the qualifying campaign.

The Norway star went on to score two more goals to take his tally to 12, the most in UEFA qualifying matches by far. He also has 12 goals in nine matches for City this season, taking his club tally to 136 in 155 games for the club.

The hat trick for Haaland took his total for Norway to 51 in his career to extend his lead as the country’s all-time leader in goals. He reached the 50-goal mark in just 46 games, whereas it took Harry Kane 71 matches with England, Brazil’s Neymar 74 and Kylian Mbappé 90 games with France to hit the half-century milestone.

Record eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi took 107 games to hit 50 for Argentina, and Cristiano Ronaldo needed 114 games with Portugal.

The win keeps Norway perfect in qualifying with six wins from six games. They lead Italy by nine points in Group I, but the Italians can still theoretically catch them for top spot and an automatic bid to the World Cup next summer.

Norway have not played in a World Cup since 1998.

There were peaceful pro-Palestinian protests before the match in Oslo. A police line formed close to the stadium but at a measured distance from the protesters, some of whom chanted “Shut down the embassy,” while others carried red cards and one woman held up a small sign saying “Game Over Israel.”

A few dozen fans stayed to continue protesting outside the stadium once the match started.

The venue was almost full, with 22,000 to 23,000 spectators inside. Capacity was reduced by 3,000, as seats were made unavailable near Israeli fans and in the front row due to security measures.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.

Source link

Watch Norway vs Israel as Erling Haaland looks to fire his team to a ninth consecutive win, with all the details on TV and streaming information for viewers anywhere in the world.

Israel’s status as an active UEFA nation appears is uncertain and the national team’s progress encounters a major obstacle on the pitch on Saturday.

In Norway, public broadcaster TV2 has the game, which is streaming live on the TV2 website – free with registration.

In France, L’Equipe TV has the rights to the game, which is available on the L’Equipe website or via the Molotov free streaming service.

Away from home right now? A good VPN such as NordVPN will unblock your usual streaming services even while you’re abroad – more on that below.

Our expert colleagues at TechRadar test hundreds of VPNs, and they rate NordVPN as the best VPNon the market right now.

Source link

Order the new issue with free delivery here – just select ‘October Issue 383’. Subscribe to FourFourTwo today and save!…

Erling Haaland was left needing stitches in his face after a freak accident while away on international duty with Norway.The…

Aug 27, 2025, 12:03 PM ETManchester City striker Erling Haaland has changed the name on the back of his Norway…