Watch Video: Magnus Carlsen punches table after shock defeat to Gukesh

Time of India

2 days ago

In a stunning turn of events at Norway Chess 2025, Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh defeated World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, marking his first classical win against the champion. Carlsen, visibly frustrated, reacted strongly after a crucial endgame blunder allowed Gukesh's comeback. This victory follows R Praggnanandhaa's 2024 win, highlighting India's rising chess prowess.
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A rare outburst from Carlsen
Gukesh holds his nerve
History repeats for Indian chess
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Carlsen's social media post and a painful fall
A big day for Indian chess
The scoreboard may have shown a win, but it was the emotions that truly told the story in Stavanger on Sunday. Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh defeated World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in Round 6 of the Norway Chess 2025 tournament in one of the most dramatic games of the event so far.Magnus Carlsen, who had dominated most of the match, looked completely shaken after the loss. In a moment of frustration, he punched the table, an unusual but telling reaction from the five-time world champion. Despite having a better position through much of the game, Carlsen made a crucial blunder during the endgame, allowing Gukesh to stage a remarkable comeback.Gukesh, who played with the white pieces, defended patiently even when the odds were against him. As Carlsen began to struggle under the tournament's increment time control, Gukesh spotted his chance. With sharp calculations and cool composure, he turned the game around, eventually sealing his first-ever classical win over Carlsen.After the win, a visibly thrilled Gukesh shared a strong fist bump with his coach Grzegorz Gajewski, a small but powerful celebration of a big moment.Interestingly, this is the second year in a row that an Indian teenager has defeated Carlsen in a classical game at Norway Chess . In 2024, it was R Praggnanandhaa; now, it's Gukesh, who is the current world champion.Gukesh had earlier lost to Carlsen in Round 1 of the same tournament, but this victory in Round 6 has certainly turned the tables.Only a few days ago, after beating Gukesh in the opening round, Carlsen had posted on Instagram, 'You come at the king, you best not miss.' Many took it as a warning to the young champion. But Sunday's events seemed to reverse that message entirely.After the loss, Carlsen quickly left the venue, looking visibly upset. Chess legend Susan Polgar called it 'one of the most painful losses' in Carlsen's career, noting how rare it is for him to lose in classical chess, especially from a winning position.While Gukesh grabbed the spotlight, fellow Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi also had a successful day, beating China's Wei Yi. With Gukesh's win, the tournament standings have become even more exciting as the final rounds approach.Carlsen had led the table with 9.5 points before this round, followed by Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura. But now, with Gukesh back in the mix, the title race is wide open.Inputs from agencies