Should You Use The Norwegian Rat Chess Opening?

A chess opening being mentioned more recently because elite grandmasters have been playing it is the Norwegian Rat. Even with the catchy name, little is known about it. Here’s what you should know about this opening:

• What Is The Norwegian Rat In Chess?
• Basics Of Norwegian Rat
• History Of The Opening
• Why Opening Is Called Norwegian Rat
• Carlsen’s Successes And Failures
• Who Plays The Norwegian Rat
• Learn More About This Defense
• Real Norwegian Rat

What Is The Norwegian Rat In Chess?

The Norwegian Rat opening is a hybrid between the Modern Defense and Alekhine's Defense, which both respond to an initial move of e4 by White. It is a provocative approach that gives Black a chance to challenge White's center if it becomes overstretched and to drag White out of their comfort zones by creating a sharp and unbalanced game.

Basics Of Norwegian Rat

This opening typically begins with the following moves:

1. e4 g6
2. d4 Nf6
3. e5 Nh5

One characteristic of this defense is the "corkscrew" movement the knight makes by traveling to the second rank via f6 and h5. By playing 2...Nf6, Black forgoes control of the center in the opening but can develop the knight to more active squares, put early pressure on White's position, and use active pieces to launch a strong attack on the kingside.

History Of Norwegian Rat

The Norwegian Rat was independently developed in the 1980s by two chess players: Gerard Welling of the Netherlands and Rolf Martens of Sweden. Welling initially used the name of Horseshoe Variation, while Martens called it the Norwegian Defense. Later those names were replaced by North Sea Defense.

Why Opening Is Called Norwegian Rat

The best reason that the opening is called Norwegian Rat is that’s what GM Magnus Carlsen from Norway calls it. (It’s officially known as Modern Defense: Norwegian Defense, Norwegian Gambit in the Chess.com collection of openings.) Carlsen has successfully employed it many times in his blitz games. He has played it since 2010 and has famously scored four wins and one loss in World Championship Blitz events, including wins against GM Viswanathan Anand and GM Fabiano Caruana.

Carlsen’s Successes And Failures

Carlsen has had several noteworthy wins with this defense, such as in the 2023 Julius Baer Generation Cup when he handily defeated Caruana. It seemed that Caruana was taken by surprise by this opening and soon lost his way by simply playing far too many pawn moves. He did not develop his first piece until move nine. Carlsen’s position was already better by move six, and he was just about winning by move 20.

In the 2022 Speed Chess Championships, Carlsen handily defeated GM Gukesh Dommaraju, the new world champion, in several blitz and bullet formats. The Norwegian Rat was prominent in one of Carlsen’s wins in the 1+1 bullet portion (which he won 7 to 4) of the match. After the initial two moves of the opening, Gukesh avoided the main line 3.e5 in favor of 3.Nc3, but Carlsen immediately broke in the center with 3...d5?!. Then the game descended into chaos as Carlsen quickly came under a vicious kingside attack, but soon he had turned the tables and was the one attacking Gukesh on the kingside. 

Carlsen also used the Norwegian Rat in his Chess24.com blitz series as he teased his opponents, “Can anyone equalize against the Rat?” Here is a sample game played in the series. 

Of course, not all games are won. The most noteworthy loss by Carlsen when playing the Norwegian Rat occurred in 2010 in his game against GM Michael Adams at the Khanty-Mansiysk Olympiad. Because the game was relatively even through the middlegame, perhaps the loss shouldn't be attributed to the Norwegian Rat. Adams outplayed Carlsen in the end.

Who Plays The Norwegian Rat

Although the opening at first glance may seem rather dubious, it has become more popular due to the efforts of creative players such as Carlsen, GM Ian Nepomniachtchi, and GM Richard Rapport when they want to avoid a theoretical battle. As author Jim Bickford explains, the Norwegian Rat produces “very exciting chess while sidestepping the overanalyzed lines whose punches have been softened by decades of popularity and exhaustive computer analysis.”

The defense can be especially effective in blitz games, where opponents have less time to calculate. Its unpredictability can catch opponents off-guard by the unorthodox play and lead to quick victories (but it can also lead to swift defeats if not played carefully). In this video, IM Levy Rozman (GothamChess) shows his excitement about this opening:

Learn More About Norwegian Rat

Two books are helpful for learning more about this opening. The North Sea Variation of the Modern Defense, a 94-page softcover book written by Bickford, was published in 2007 even before Carlsen was making this opening so well-known. Published more recently in 2022 is Magnus Carlsen's Norwegian Rat by IM Cyrus Lakdawala and FM Carsten Hansen. They present many games to show how it is possible to beat titled players right out of the opening by shocking White's system and beliefs.

Real Norwegian Rat

Of course, after reading this post, your mind has wandered and you now want to know if a Norwegian rat really lives and breathes. Yes, it does. Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus), also known as brown or water rats, have been around for centuries, and they spread quickly (so be alert). They were also known to travel on ships of the first European explorers and to places as far as New Zealand where they arrived in the late 1700s.

Is the Norwegian Rat a useful opening? It all depends on how prepared you are—as well as your opponent.

What do you think? Are you ambitious to try the Norwegian Rat soon in a game, particularly if it’s blitz or bullet?