Indians who have defeated Magnus Carlsen in classical chess

Magnus Carlsen is undoubtedly the ultimate test in chess. Regardless of the format, he stands as an immovable rock and an unstoppable force. His record is incomprehensible to the average person, particularly in the classical format.

Carlsen is a five-time World Chess Champion, the reigning five-time World Rapid Chess Champion, the reigning seven-time World Blitz Chess Champion, and the current Chess World Cup Champion. These titles are just the beginning of his extraordinary achievements.

As if that was not enough, he has held the No. 1 position in the FIDE world chess rankings since July 1, 2011, and his peak rating of 2882 is the highest in the history of the sport. He also holds the record for the longest unbeaten streak at an elite level in classical chess, with 125 games.

On June 1, 2025, history was made at the Norway Chess tournament. Dommaraju Gukesh, the prodigious 19-year-old from Chennai and the reigning 2024 FIDE Candidates Champion, stunned the chess world by defeating Magnus Carlsen in a classical game — an accomplishment few can boast of. With this emphatic victory, Gukesh became only the fifth Indian ever to beat Carlsen in classical format, and the first to do so after becoming World Champion.

This wasn't just another game. Gukesh, who had already etched his name in the record books by becoming the youngest World Chess Champion in history, demonstrated why he is hailed as the future of global chess. Facing the formidable Carlsen — widely considered the greatest chess player of all time — Gukesh showed nerves of steel and an exceptional grasp of positional play. In a sharp and complex middlegame, he slowly outmaneuvered the Norwegian with surgical precision, showcasing maturity far beyond his years.

The victory was not only symbolic — a passing of the torch — but also practical, as it marked Gukesh’s first classical triumph over Carlsen, one of the few remaining milestones in his already glittering career. With calm calculation and relentless accuracy, he brought down the titan on his home turf, reinforcing his stature as a true heir to Carlsen’s long reign at the top.

In doing so, Gukesh didn’t just join an elite list — he elevated it. As the dust settles around this monumental event, we at The Bridge recollect other occasions where Indians have come out on top against Magnus Carlsen.

Rameshprabhu Praggnanandhaa

It was a mountain of this magnitude that R Praggnanandhaa scaled on May 30, 2024, when he defeated Carlsen in a classical game at the Norway Chess tournament. He became just the fourth Indian to do so, marking his first-ever victory in a classical game against Carlsen. Praggnanandhaa not just defeated the world no.1, he also defeated world no.2 Fabiano Caruana in the same tournament.

Pentala Harikrishna

Pentala Harikrishna was the first Indian to defeat Carlsen in the classical format in 2005 Lausanne Young Masters, albeit the latter was just 14 and still in his formative years. While Magnus Carlsen managed to secure a few wins over Harikrishna in later years, Harikrishna will always hold the distinction of being the first to defeat Carlsen.

Vishwanathan Anand

Indian chess grandmaster and former world champion Vishwanathan Anand Anand has multiple classical wins over Carlsen, especially during Carlsen’s rise to the top. Anand's victories over Carlsen in classical chess predominantly occurred between 2007 and 2010, during the period when Carlsen was emerging as a top player. Very recently, the Indian won Carlsen at the 2022 Norway Chess in the classical format in Armageddon (a blitz tie-break).

Karthikeyan Murali

The 2023 Qatar Masters saw Karthikeyan Murali become only the third Indian to defeat Magnus Carlsen in a classical chess game. The 25 year old youngster managed to do the impossible using black pieces and entered a very elite club of chess players.