D Gukesh's Mother On 'Big Win' Over Carlsen: 'He Looked Surprised'
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D Gukesh's mother Padmakumari said his son looked surprised that Magnus Carlsen made a mistake.
World champion D Gukesh avenged his earlier loss against Magnus Carlsen by capitalising on a blunder from the world number one, securing his first classical game victory over the Norwegian superstar. This win during Round 6 of the Norway Chess Tournament left Carlsen visibly frustrated, culminating in him striking the board with his fist.
The victory on Sunday propelled the 19-year-old Gukesh to third place with 8.5 points, just one point behind joint leaders Carlsen and American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana.
'It was a big win for Gukesh," Gukesh's mother Padmakumari told CNN-News 18 in anexclusive telephonic interview.
'I think Gukesh looked surprised that Carlsen made a mistake," she added.
WATCH:
'There wasn't much I could do. It was just clearly lost… luckily he got into a time scramble," Gukesh said after the match.
'First classical win over Magnus, not the way I expected or wanted it to be, but I will take it. I was just trying to make moves that were tricky for him," he explained.
'…99 out of 100 times I would lose… just a lucky day," Gukesh later told the tournament broadcasters.
Five-time world champion Carlsen seemed to have the upper hand throughout the four-hour contest, but a critical mistake allowed Gukesh to turn the tables and achieve a remarkable win. By the time Carlsen realised his error, it was too late. Frustrated, he struck the table with his fist, dishevelling the chessboard.
Disbelief and frustration were evident on Carlsen's face as he shook hands with Gukesh, replaced all the pieces on the board, and walked away, patting the winner on the back. Gukesh remained calm amid the tension, closing his eyes momentarily after the handshake with a visibly upset Carlsen.
The victory came after a crushing Round 1 loss to the iconic player, which had cast doubt on Gukesh's ability to overcome Carlsen in the return game.
First Published:
June 02, 2025, 11:26 IST
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