Gukesh Dommaraju brings down Magnus Carlsen in Norway Chess, but post-match drama steals the show
It was a special Sunday in Stavanger. D Gukesh, the 19-year-old World Champion from India, pulled off a shock win over five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen in Round 6 of Norway Chess 2025. But what followed made even more noise than the result. From Carlsen's emotional reaction to racist trolling online, the aftermath of the game turned out to be as intense as the match itself.
Gukesh's victory was no ordinary one. He was on the back foot for most of the match and even admitted, "99 out of 100 times I would lose," but this was the one time it went his way. The win also marked his first classical win over Carlsen and made him the second Indian to beat the Norwegian in Norway Chess after Praggnanandhaa.
What made the moment even bigger was how it unfolded. Carlsen, playing in front of his home crowd, had a clear advantage, but a late blunder turned the game. Gukesh held his nerve, stayed calm and punished the error to seal a memorable win.
Gukesh beats Carlsen, but anger and racist trolls steal the spotlight
The loss didn't sit well with Carlsen. The Norwegian grandmaster banged the table hard after the match ended, sending pieces falling to the floor. Though he shook Gukesh's hand and gave him a pat on the back, the frustration was visible. The moment was caught on video and posted by Norway Chess on X and TikTok. It quickly went viral. Sadly, what also followed were racist comments against Gukesh. Remarks like "Magnus was distracted by the curry scent" flooded the TikTok post, sparking widespread anger. Many users questioned why Norway Chess hadn't moderated the platform properly.
This is exactly what I've been trying to explain to my fellow Indians who think I am overreacting. I've seen the amount of racism Gukesh faces from people outside India. Here is one from the official Norway Chess TikTok account which has been liked by thousands of people. https://t.co/nvkxuZuL9n pic.twitter.com/4zwkTE2lQg
While trolls tried to drag Gukesh down, the chess world stood with him. Even Gukesh's grandfather spoke up calmly, saying Carlsen's outburst was "natural" and the teenager's win meant he now had "no pressure on him." Gukesh, showing maturity beyond his years, didn't let the noise get to him. "I have also banged a lot of tables in my career," he said, understanding how tough the loss was for Carlsen.
A loss has triggered the whole racist cvnts of the West.The fun point is he can't even spell 'Scent' correctly 😂😂😭😭🤣🤣.Go Gukesh Go💪 pic.twitter.com/HAKVKvEVVd
His coach, Vishnu Prasanna, praised his resilience, saying, "He was dead lost for so long, yet he kept kicking." Gukesh had lost to Carlsen in Round 1, so this was also a brilliant comeback. After the win, he was seen giving coach Grzegorz Gajewski a powerful fist bump, still trying to digest what had just happened.
Anand Mahindra calls Magnus Carlsen's meltdown a 'tantrum'
Even Anand Mahindra couldn't hold back. The Indian billionaire posted on X about the emotional contrast between the two players. "Carlsen's visible frustration at the end wasn't just a tantrum — it was the greatest compliment the World Champion could receive from the GOAT," he wrote. He added that Gukesh's silence after the win said more than any celebration ever could.
Carlsen's visible frustration at the end wasn't just a tantrum — it was the greatest compliment the World Champion could receive from the GOAT No fist pump. No smirk. Gukesh didn't need one. His silence roared louder than Carlsen's exit.👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽pic.twitter.com/W97idHhIct
Carlsen had come into this round leading the tournament with 9.5 points. After the loss, he still stays joint top with Fabiano Caruana, but Gukesh has now moved up to third with 8.5. The fight for the title is wide open, and after this result, it feels like anything can happen in the final rounds.
Carlsen had beaten Gukesh in Round 1 and even posted "You come at the king, you best not miss." But the teenager didn't miss this time. He took the king's crown off, calmly, quietly, and with a touch of class.
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