IMAGE: World champions D Gukesh and Ju Wenjun. Photograph: Norway Chess/Instagram
For D Gukesh and Magnus Carlsen, gazing at the chessboard for endless hours is just a part of everyday life, but the superstars of the game were in for an authentic Wild West surprise when they had to don cowboy hats, roper boots, well worn-out jeans to give them a wrangler look and indulge in some rodeo activity.
Held on the rest day of Norway Chess on Friday, the “Chess Cowboy Challenge” was taken in the right spirit as the 12 chess exponents gathered in Westernbyen — a Western-themed village in Algard, outside Stavanger — to show who could take up the challenge head on and win.
Besides Carlsen and Gukesh, the star-studded lineup for the challenge included India’s Arjun Erigaisi, the American duo of Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana, and Chinese No.1 Wei Yi.
IMAGE: Magnus Carlsen with his wife Ella Victoria Malone. Photograph: Norway Chess/Instagram
From among women, two-time World rapid champion Koneru Humpy, R Vaishali, the Chinese duo of Ju Wenjun and Li Tingjie, and Ukraine’s Anna Muzychuk were game for some old western challenge.
The sixth contender in Norway Chess, Spain’s Sarasadat Khademalsharieh could not join and was substituted by Carlsen’s wife, Ella Carlsen, who proved to be quite the sharpshooter in the competition.
For good measure, all the 12 competitors were given wild west nicknames, with Carlsen becoming the ‘The Lone GOAT’, Gukesh ‘The Chennai Sharpshooter’, Nakamura ‘The Blitz Bandit’ and Caruana the ‘The Sicilian Sniper’.
IMAGE: Arjun Erigaisi. Photograph: Norway Chess/Instagram
Among women, Vaishali was ‘The Rising Rider’, Anna was the ‘Ice Veins’, Humpy ‘The Hammer’ Koneru, Lei ‘The Lockdown’ Tingjie, ‘Ju No-Loss’ Wenjun and Ella Carlsen, the ‘Honorary Cowgirl’.
The Cowboy Challenge took them through a series of wild tasks, including facing the Sheriff’s memory test in a jail escape, an axe-throwing competition, lasso tosses, cowboy quizzes and a bit of horse riding.
Each team was made up of one male and one female player, competing across all stations as they worked their way through the challenge.
IMAGE: Two-time World rapid champion Koneru Humpy. Photograph: Norway Chess/Instagram
It was no surprise that Magnus and Ella Carlsen were crowned champions or “Chess Sheriffs”, while Nakamura and Anna took the second place.
Caruana and Vaishali came in third, while reigning world champion Gukesh did try hard but ended up in fourth place with partner Ju Wenjun.
The pair of Erigaisi and Humpy finished sixth.
IMAGE: R Vaishali. Photograph: Norway Chess/Instagram
Refreshed and rejuvenated, all the 12 players were back to the chess arena to play the fifth round of Norway Chess on Saturday.
Carlsen is leading the field with eight points, while Caruana is a point adrift. The two Indians, Gukesh and Erigaisi, are tied for the fourth spot and will aim to stage a comeback with renewed vigour in the remaining rounds.
