World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh pulled off a stunning victory against former World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in Round 6 of the ongoing Norway Chess 2025 tournament, turning the game around from a losing position on Sunday, June 1.
This marked Gukesh’s first-ever classical win over the Norwegian grandmaster. The 19-year-old also became the second Indian player to beat Carlsen in the history of the competition after Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa.
Carlsen had an upper hand over Gukesh for most of the time in the match, but in the end, he couldn’t control his nerves, and the teenager turned the tables around and went on to win the match.
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With this win, D Gukesh jumped to third spot in the Norway Chess 2025 points table with 8.5 points, and now he is just one point behind Carlsen and American Fabiano Caruana.
Earlier on May 27, the marquee clash of Round One at Norway Chess 2025 lived up to expectations as Magnus Carlsen launched a classic king hunt to defeat reigning World Champion D Gukesh in a thrilling encounter. This was their first classical match since Gukesh won the world title, and it also marked Carlsen’s return to individual classical chess after nearly a year.
Reacting to the upset victory, Gukesh’s coach, Grandmaster Vishnu Prasanna, praised the teenager’s resilience and fighting spirit.
“We have to give a lot of credit to Gukesh for his stubbornness and for his resourcefulness because I think he was aware that he was dead lost for so long, yet he kept kicking, he kept kicking, and the time went lower, the more chances he had to actually do something with the position. I don’t think his intention was to win that, but yeah, I’m sure he is happy,” Vishnu Prasanna said.
The win has added further excitement to the tournament, with the race for the top spot tightening as it enters its final rounds.
Speaking after the match as quoted by Chess.com, Gukesh said about his win, “I mean, [it was] not the way I wanted it to be, but okay, I will take it.”
He also took Carlsen’s outburst in a sporting manner, understanding the frustration he must have faced, saying, “I have also banged a lot of tables in my career.”
In the video now posted on the official X handle of Norway Chess, just after the win was sealed by Gukesh, Carlsen let out his emotions by banging the table, sending some pieces falling on the board and down on the floor too. While he did not forget to shake Gukesh’s hand and give him a pat on his back as the Indian star tried collecting himself emotionally after a stunning win, Carlsen’s frustration with his performance was visible.
Gukesh was still in shock after his win and the way he pulled it off from behind, saying, “99 out of 100 times I would lose,” but it was just a lucky day.”
Among the many people who lauded his victory was India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“An exceptional achievement by Gukesh! Congratulations to him for triumphing over the very best. His first-ever win against Magnus Carlsen in Round 6 of Norway Chess 2025 showcases his brilliance and dedication. Wishing him continued success in the journey ahead,” PM Modi wrote on X.