MAGNUS CARLSEN HAD TO FIGHT 'DOUBTS' TO BEAT GUKESH 'WHO WAS UP FOR A FIGHT' AT NORWAY CHESS

It wasn’t a straightforward victory for Magnus Carlsen over D Gukesh at Norway Chess on Thursday. The former world champion had to overcome mental battles to conquer the reigning king.

D Gukesh discussed his mistakes with Magnus Carlsen after losing the match. Image: Norway Chess

Magnus Carlsen had to fight doubts before beating world champion D Gukesh in their latest encounter at the Norway Chess 2026 on Thursday as the world No 1 secured his first Classical victory on the ongoing tournament. So far in the last three rounds, Carlsen had suffered two defeats and secured one win via Armageddon.

But five-time world champion Carlsen turned the tables against Gukesh on the eve of the Indian Grandmaster’s 20th birthday, winning in 42 moves. Gukesh remained solid in the match during the opening and middlegame with the White pieces, but lost the initiative in the endgame under time pressure.

Gukesh was eventually forced to resign as Carlsen picked up a crucial win after tough three rounds.

Carlsen relieved after beating Gukesh

In the post-game interview with Take Take Take, Carlsen said that his recent Classical defeats to Alireza Firouzja and R Praggnanandhaa of India had shaken his confidence, and that the victory over world champion Gukesh had come as a big relief.

“It was a huge relief,” Carlsen said. “After missing a few chances, you get a little bit of doubt, like what it’s going to take for me to get back. Feels really good to get that monkey off the back.

“He was up for a fight today, but so was I.”

There’s no doubt the victory has come as a big relief for Carlsen, even if he remains the top-ranked chess Grandmaster. Amid his recent poor form, his critics have been constantly questioning him holding onto the world No 1 ranking despite playing only a few tournaments.

Hand Niemann, who in 2022 was accused of cheating by Carlsen, has said that FIDE needs to change its ranking methodology to reward the players who are more active on the circuit.

A few other critics have started to signal that it’s the start of the end for Carlsen, but the truth is the Norwegian remains the most consistent player across formats.

- FP Sports Desk

PRAGGNANANDHAA BETTERS WORLD CHAMPION D GUKESH IN TIEBREAKER TO WIN TATA STEEL MASTERS CHESS

The tiebreaker was necessitated after Gukesh lost to fellow Indian Arjun Erigaisi while Praggnanandhaa went down to Vincent Keymer of Germany

The Indian juggernaut in international chess remained unstoppable as Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa fought through exhaustion and nerves to defeat world champion D Gukesh in a clash of compatriots to clinch the Tata Steel Masters title for the first time in his prolific career.

The bespectacled 19-year-old from Chennai, a city that has become the cradle of Indian chess, came from behind to upstage the 18-year-old world number three 2-1 in the tiebreaker of the event's 87th edition here on Sunday.

This was after both players ended up tied on 8.5 points after losing their 13th-round games. While Gukesh lost to fellow Indian Arjun Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa went down to Vincent Keymer of Germany.

In the tie-breaker, there was huge drama typical of two young players looking to win every game they played in the tournament as they played the tie-break.

"I am still shaking, it was such a crazy day. I don't know how to express it. I didn't really expect to win. Somehow things went my way," Praggnanandhaa told the official tournament website after his triumph.

Asked if it was the most tense day of his chess career, which began when he was a mere two years of age.

"Today is more special because I won the tournament. Definitely most stressful day," he responded.

The teenager became the first Indian after Viswanathan Anand to win the title. Anand won it thrice (2003, 2004 and 2006) individually when it was called the Corus Chess Tournament, named on the title sponsor of that time. The legend also shared the honours twice (1989 and 1998) in its earliest form of Hoogovens Tournament.

Praggnanandhaa faced the Benoni with reversed colours in the first game of the tie-break and it seemed like he had equalised easily in the middle game.

However, Gukesh had other thoughts as he kept trying and won, thanks to a blunder by Praggnanandhaa that cost him a full rook.

In a must-win second game of the tiebreaker, Praggnanandhaa employed the Trompowsky opening, and this time Gukesh could claim a slight advantage with his black pieces.

"I was just trying to relax, to rest a bit. It was a very difficult game. Against Vincent I didn't play anywhere close to the level I was playing here. I should buy something for Arjun. At some point I thought Gukesh was better," the former world youth champion quipped.

"For sure, (this win) it is the highlight. When I came here, I wanted to win but the field was very strong. I didn't really think about it much until yesterday," he added.

"I am completely exhausted. I was also quite tired. I just want to get some rest now."

During the tie-break, by just keeping his position together, Praggnanandhaa patiently waited and capitalised on an unforced error from Gukesh to first knock down a pawn and then his technical abilities were enough to see the normal blitz games through with a 1-1 score.

This took the match into sudden death, where Praggnanandhaa drew white and once again Gukesh was better with some imaginative play on the queen side that netted him a pawn.

The sudden death had a time control of two minutes and thirty seconds for white against three for black but that did not deter Praggnanandhaa from trying to defend an inferior endgame.

Just while the position looked completely drawn and another game was on the cards, Gukesh lost control in the battle of nerves and first lost a pawn then his last remaining knight.

Praggnanandhaa showed perfect technique to take the full point and his maiden victory at the Masters.

For Gukesh, this was the second year running when he tied for first position and lost the tiebreaker. In the previous edition, Gukesh had lost to Chinese Wei Yi.

- PTI