D Gukesh shellshocked, covers face in shock after heartbreaking defeat; fails to win Norway Chess by a whisker
Norway Chess 2025 concluded on Friday and it turned out to be most exciting classical tournament in ages. Defending champion Magnus Carlsen bagged his seventh Norway Chess title after a massive blunder by D Gukesh saw the Indian GM lose to Fabiano Caruana. The result prevented Gukesh from getting three full points in the final round, and he had to settle for third position.
It wasn't an easy game for Gukesh as Caruana had the early advantage. Gukesh tried to stage a comeback, but was also running out of time. Then he committed a massive blunder, immediately knowing his chances to clinch the title disappeared right away.
With just two seconds left on the clock, the 18-year-old offered a handshake and looked utterly shellshocked, as he covered his face with his hands in frustration.
The result saw Caruana finish in second positn with 15.5 points and Gukesh came third with 14.5 points. Carlsen won the tournament with 16 points, after drawing with Arjun Erigaisi, who came fifth with 12.5 points.
Gukesh's playing approach in the tournament saw him put pressure on opponents till the last moment and force them to make a blunder in time scramble moments. It happened in his Round 6 clash with Carlsen, which the World No. 1 lost and ended up slamming his table in anger.
But before Gukesh's final round clash vs Caruana, Viswanathan Anand had a word of advice for Gukesh, and it looks like the chess legend was right. Speaking during an interaction, he praised Gukesh's approach of playing poorly and then putting his opponents under time pressure. But Anand also felt that it could but him in a disadvantageous position.
'Both these games he played (against Carlsen and Erigaisi were played) extremely poorly. If that's a conscious decision to provoke a struggle, I would be alarmed,' he said.
'It tells me that he's an amazing fighter (and) at the same time, I would not be happy if he defended in this way,' he added.
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