 "Watch: Carlsen bangs table as D Gukesh stuns him with Norway Chess win")
World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen’s bid to extend his lead at Norway Chess 2025 took an unexpected turn on Sunday, June 2, when reigning World Champion D Gukesh staged a remarkable comeback to claim his first classical win against the Norwegian legend.
Gukesh found himself in a losing endgame position after a strong opening by Carlsen. But the 18-year-old Indian grandmaster capitalised on a rare blunder by Carlsen to snatch victory after 62 moves and more than four hours of tense play.
The match, played in Carlsen’s home country in Stavanger, saw the Norwegian pressing hard throughout, but Gukesh held firm under time pressure and ultimately turned the tables.
After the loss, Carlsen, visibly devastated, slammed the table in frustration, sending pieces flying. But he quickly recollected himself, shook hands with Gukesh, patted him on the back, and left the venue quickly. Gukesh himself looked shocked after winning the match, almost as if he could not believe he had finally defeated Carlsen in classical chess.
Emotions run high
The result left Carlsen, who had dominated in earlier rounds, visibly shaken. Carlsen’s reaction was consistent with his fiery competitive spirit — he had been known to criticise Gukesh’s classical game in the past, questioning his composure under time controls. After beating Gukesh in Round 1, Carlsen even posted a cryptic message on social media: “You come at the king, you best not miss.”
For Gukesh, the win marked a sweet comeback after his earlier loss to Carlsen in the tournament opener. Meeting his long-time coach Grzegorz Gajewski after the match, Gukesh delivered what the Polish trainer called “the hardest fist bump” he’d ever received from the Indian prodigy.
“It (win) just gives a huge pump of confidence (to Gukesh) because once you've done it, you know you can do it again. And that's the plan,” Gajewski said. “And for the tournament (Norway Chess) that's going ahead, it gives him (Gukesh) a bump. Hopefully we can break another unbreakable margin. Perfect.”
The defeat to Gukesh not only cost Carlsen valuable points but also shook up the standings. Before Round 6, Carlsen led with 9.5 points, ahead of Fabiano Caruana (8) and Hikaru Nakamura (6.5). Gukesh’s win lifted him to third place, just one point behind the leader, adding extra drama to the final rounds of the prestigious event.
Carlsen’s earlier decision to step back from defending his world championship crown after his fifth title in 2025 had already fueled talk of a new era in classical chess. Gukesh’s triumph in Stavanger adds another layer to that narrative, especially after last year’s win by fellow Indian teenager R Praggnanandhaa.
A memorable day for Indian chess
Sunday was also a memorable day for Indian chess overall. Arjun Erigaisi defeated Chinese GM Wei Yi in their Armageddon game, while in the women’s section, Koneru Humpy blundered a rook against Vaishali Rameshbabu, allowing Anna Muzychuk to catch her in the lead.