Gukesh defeats Carlsen in Norway Chess, scores first classical win over World No. 1

Hyderabad: World Chess Champion and Indian player Dommaraju Gukesh defeated World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in the sixth round of the Norway Chess Tournament, marking his first win over the Norwegian grandmaster in classical chess.

Playing with the white pieces, Gukesh capitalized on a key error by Carlsen to turn the game in his favor. Despite Carlsen appearing to have the upper hand for much of the match, Gukesh held firm under pressure and seized the opportunity to secure a decisive victory.

The loss appeared to frustrate Carlsen, who was seen slamming the table with his fist after the game. He later apologized twice to Gukesh before quickly leaving the venue. Gukesh, visibly surprised by the outcome, stood motionless for a few moments before regaining composure. A video of the incident is circulating widely on social media.

The win also allowed Gukesh to avenge his earlier loss to Carlsen in the tournament's opening round. Gukesh, currently ranked World No. 3, is the second Indian player to beat Carlsen at the Norway Chess Tournament in consecutive years. In 2023, R Praggnanandhaa had also defeated the Norwegian on his home turf.

Background

Dommaraju Gukesh was born on 29 May 2006 in Chennai to a Telugu family from Andhra Pradesh. His father, Rajinikanth, is an ENT surgeon, and his mother, Padmakumari, is a microbiologist. The family hails from Chenchuraju Kandriga, a village near Satyavedu in Tirupati district, where his grandfather still resides.

Gukesh began playing chess in 2013 at the age of seven. He left school after Class IV to focus entirely on the sport. In 2017, his father quit his job to accompany him to tournaments. During this period, the family received financial support from friends, which Gukesh has often acknowledged. He trained within the structured framework of India’s growing chess ecosystem and quickly emerged as one of the country’s top talents.