Norway Chess 2025: D Gukesh defeats Magnus Carlsen for the first time in Classical Chess

Reigning World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh defeated Magnus Carlsen for the first time in classical chess, overturning a challenging position after a rare blunder from the Norwegian in time trouble, at the Norway Chess 2025 tournament.

The win marked a major personal milestone for the 18-year-old Indian, who described the result as “lucky” but nonetheless historic.

"99 out of 100 times, I would lose. Just a lucky day!" Gukesh said after the game, clearly aware of the magnitude of the win despite his modest tone. "First classical win against Magnus, I mean, not the way I wanted it to be, but okay, I'll take it."

Carlsen, who had beaten Gukesh in the first round in what GM David Howell had called a potential “Game of the Year,” appeared to be cruising toward another three-point win in Round 6. He outplayed Gukesh from the Berlin Defense, transitioning into a powerful middlegame with precise and consistent play.

By move 44, however, the tide began to shift. Carlsen’s 44...f6?!, played under time pressure, was identified as the turning point of the game. Gukesh capitalized on the sudden cracks in Black’s position and kept finding only moves to stay alive.

Then came the decisive error: Carlsen dropped a knight, and Gukesh pounced. Even then, accurate play was required to convert, but the teenager held his nerve to deliver the final blow. The final handshake was followed by Carlsen banging the table, knocking over pieces — a moment that quickly went viral across social media.

Asked about the reaction, Gukesh responded with understanding: “I understand Magnus' reaction, because I banged many tables myself."

Armageddon deciders for other games

The remaining Round 6 games were closely contested. Arjun Erigaisi held China’s Wei Yi to a draw in the classical segment before prevailing in the Armageddon tiebreak. Meanwhile, Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura also split the classical point before Caruana clinched victory in the decider.

With the Round 6 results, Carlsen and Caruana now share the lead in the overall standings, each accumulating crucial points through a combination of classical and Armageddon results. Gukesh’s victory brought him closer to contention, adding excitement to the remaining rounds of one of the world’s most prestigious chess events.

Norway Chess Women: Muzychuk, Humpy lead

On the women's side, the Norway Chess Women’s tournament witnessed three classical draws, with Anna Muzychuk, Vaishali Rameshbabu, and Wenjun Ju winning their Armageddon tiebreaks. As of Round 6, Muzychuk and India’s Humpy Koneru are tied at the top of the leaderboard.