Stavanger, Norway – June 1, 2025
In a dramatic showdown at the 2025 Norway Chess tournament, 19-year-old Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh secured his first-ever classical victory over World No.1 Magnus Carlsen, turning the tables in a game that seemed headed for defeat.
The encounter, their second in this edition, saw Carlsen in a dominant position deep into the endgame. But Gukesh, known for his composure under pressure, fought back in the time scramble, eventually capitalising on a critical blunder — 52…Ne2+?? — to seize victory after 62 moves.
Carlsen, visibly frustrated, slammed the table with his fist and left the venue without addressing the media, while Gukesh sat motionless, absorbing the magnitude of his achievement. The Norwegian had defeated Gukesh just a week earlier in Round 1 and followed it with a provocative message: “You come at the king, you best not miss.”
Gukesh’s quiet response? Let his chess do the talking.
> “99 out of 100 times I would lose. Just a lucky day,” Gukesh said with characteristic humility.
“It wasn’t the way I wanted to win, but I’ll take it.”
This landmark victory not only reaffirmed Gukesh’s classical strength — especially after a shaky start to 2025 — but also added weight to his World Champion title, which he won last December after defeating Ding Liren.
With this result, Gukesh moves to second place in the standings on 8.5 points, just behind Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana (9.5 points each), keeping the title race wide open with three rounds to go.
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