Latest news with #Gukesh
India Today
4 hours ago
- Sport
- India Today
Magnus Carlsen makes bold assessment of Gukesh at Grand Chess: One of weaker players
Magnus Carlsen has reignited his rivalry with reigning world champion D. Gukesh by making a stark, unapologetic assessment ahead of their highly anticipated clash at the SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia 2025. The world No. 1 openly questioned the 18-year-old's credentials in faster formats, suggesting Gukesh remains unproven and, in his words, 'one of the presumably weaker players' in the tournament think Gukesh played quite well here last time,' Carlsen said in the pre-tournament press conference in Zagreb. 'But it remains to be proven that he's one of the best players in this format. We have a very, very strong field Gukesh hasn't done anything to indicate that he's going to do well in such a tournament. I hope, for his sake, that he can do better. But playing him in this tournament, I will approach it as if I'm playing one of the presumably weaker players.'The blunt remarks add fresh fuel to a rivalry that has been simmering since their last meeting in Stavanger. At Norway Chess last month, Gukesh stunned Carlsen in a dramatic classical game, coming from behind to hand the Norwegian a rare defeat from a winning position. Carlsen, visibly anguished, thumped the table in frustration—sending pieces scattering in a moment that quickly went viral and captured the shock of a five-time world champion undone by an That encounter came in classical time controls, where Gukesh has made his mark. But the third leg of the Grand Chess Tour, starting July 3 in Zagreb, shifts to rapid and blitz—a domain long dominated by Carlsen, and where Gukesh has had limited two are set to face off three times during the event—once in rapid and twice in blitz—between July 3 and 6. Their clash on July 3 will mark the first meeting since that unforgettable Round 6 battle at Norway Chess, where Carlsen's implosion and Gukesh's composure flipped the Gukesh, who earlier this year became the youngest classical world champion in history, the challenge now is to prove he belongs among the elite in the shorter formats. He'll have company in compatriot Praggnanandhaa R, winner of the Bucharest leg of the tour, and one of the most in-form players on the meanwhile, isn't short on confidence. When asked to name the top contenders, he was direct: 'If I'm in good shape, it will take something special to beat me.' He picked Alireza Firouzja as his 'clear second favourite', leaving little doubt as to how he sees the field—and his place in may be the world champion, but Carlsen's words are a reminder of who still sees himself as the game's benchmark. The challenge, then, is for the young Indian to rise to the pace of rapid and blitz—formats where instinct and experience often trump the eve of the tournament, former world champion Garry Kasparov offered a pointed bit of advice—perhaps as much to Gukesh as to the chess world's rising generation: 'The moment you stop improving—actually, the moment you stop thinking about improving—it's over. I stayed on top for so long because I knew that the main opponent is your own excellence The moment you rest, you know it won't take long to decline.'- EndsTrending Reel
News18
6 hours ago
- Sport
- News18
Magnus On Facing Gukesh: 'Will Approach As If I'm Playing One Of Weaker Players'
Last Updated: Magnus Carlsen will face Gukesh D at the Grand Chess Tour, saying that he will treat the game as one against a weaker opponent. World No.1 Magnus Carlsen and reigning world champion Gukesh D are set to face each other again, around a month after their now-famous encounter at Norway Chess, in the third leg of the Grand Chess Tour in Zagreb, Croatia. The rapid and blitz tournament, which began on Wednesday, features a star-studded 10-player field, including three of the world's top five players. Carlsen and Gukesh will meet three times during the event, between July 3 and 6 – once in rapid and twice in blitz. On July 3, Gukesh will sit across from Carlsen for the first time since his victory in Round 6 of Norway Chess. This win went viral on social media due to Carlsen's visibly anguished reaction, where he thumped the table and sent the pieces scattering following a dramatic blunder and loss from a winning position. It was also the first time Carlsen had lost to the Indian teenager in a classical game. 'I think Gukesh played quite well here last time, but it remains to be proven that he's one of the best players in this format," Carlsen was uoted as saying. 'We have a very, very strong field… Gukesh hasn't done anything to indicate that he's going to do well in such a tournament. I hope, for his sake, that he can do better. But playing him in this tournament, I will approach it as if I'm playing one of the presumably weaker players (in the tournament)," he added. Asked to name the tournament's top contenders, Carlsen called Alireza Firouzja a clear 'second favourite': 'If I'm in good shape, it will take something special to beat me." Reflecting on the months since his title win, Gukesh spoke about taking time to adjust to the weight of expectations: 'Now I've kind of settled into the new life… I am back to focusing on working hard and being my best self in every tournament."
Indian Express
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Magnus Carlsen says Gukesh is ‘one of weaker players at Grand Chess Tour': ‘Hope for his sake that he can play better'
Magnus Carlsen has fired a fresh salvo at the reigning world champion Gukesh, questioning his credentials in the shorter time controls by saying that the youngest classical world champion in history 'hasn't done anything to indicate he's going to do well in such a tournament.' Carlsen was speaking ahead of the SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia 2025, where he will face off on the board against Gukesh for the first time since that infamous table smashing incident at the Norway Chess, where he had lost his cool after suffering his first defeat in classical chess to the teenager from India. Carlsen had been incensed after throwing away a winning position against the Indian and then losing the game, his first loss ever in classical chess against the boy who now occupies the world champion's throne that was so willingly vacated by the Norwegian a few years back. But the Norway Chess tournament was a classical event while the SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia 2025 will see players face off in the faster time controls of rapid and blitz where Gukesh has struggled in the past. 'Gukesh hasn't done anything to indicate that he's going to do well in such a tournament,' Carlsen told the organisers in an interview before the tournament in Zagreb. 'Gukesh actually played quite well here last time,' Carlsen conceded before adding: 'But it remains to be proven that he's one of the best players in such a format. This is a very, very strong field that we have here. Players like Gukesh and Anish Giri… they have a lot to prove because there aren't a lot of players you can feast on. In the course of 27 rounds, things usually show. I hope for Gukesh's sake that he can play better, but playing him in this tournament I will sort of approach it as I'm playing one of the presumably weaker players in the tournament actually.' The SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia is the third leg of the 2025 Grand Chess Tour. Besides Carlsen and Gukesh, the field will include players like Praggnanandhaa, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Fabiano Caruana, Alireza Firouzja, Wesley So, Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Ivan Saric. Players will play nine rounds of rapid and 18 rounds of blitz which means Carlsen will face off against Gukesh once in rapid and twice in blitz. The rapid game will happen on Thursday, with the blitz games in the days after that. Carlsen, who arrived at the tournament after a two-week-long honeymoon with his wife Ella, said that players like Caruana and Firouzja would be the favourites here. After Carlsen had smashed his fist on the table at Stavanger in response to blundering away a winning position against Gukesh at Norway Chess, former world champion Garry Kasparov had joked that they will get 'heavier tables' for the Zagreb event in anticipation of Carlsen playing there. When Carlsen was asked if he would check the strength of the tables before his game, the world no 1 said with a smile: 'No, I plan to make good moves so that those gestures won't be necessary.' Asked if he had seen any of the countless memes that had emerged after the incident, Carlsen said: 'I haven't seen any memes. I mean, for me, it was a painful loss for sure. And I mean, I understand there's going to be discourse around it, but it doesn't mean I'm going to enjoy it. I would have much preferred to win the game the way that I should. I think overall it's good for publicity is good for chess, but no, I don't go around looking out for those things.'
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
D Gukesh hasn't done anything to do well': Magnus Carlsen fires fresh shots at world chess champion
Magnus Carlsen and D Gukesh ahead of the SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz leg of the Grand Chess Tour (Image via X/@ChessbaseIndia) With the SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz leg of the Grand Chess Tour underway in Zagreb on Wednesday, all eyes are once again on Magnus Carlsen and Gukesh Dommaraju as their rivalry continues to simmer with tension, potential, and now, pointed words. Ahead of their rapid and blitz face-offs, former World Champion Carlsen didn't hold back when asked about the reigning classical world champion. 'Gukesh hasn't done anything to indicate that he's going to do well in such a tournament,' Carlsen told media as quoted by chess24. 'I hope for his sake that he can play better, but playing him in this tournament, I will approach it as I'm playing one of the presumably weaker players,' he added. The remark has sharpened focus on the highly anticipated matchup between the 33-year-old Norwegian icon and the 19-year-old Indian prodigy. Gukesh may have held his nerve in longer formats, but rapid and blitz are Carlsen's domain, and the veteran isn't shy about underlining the same. Magnus Carlsen to D Gukesh (Image via X) Adding another layer to the mix, Carlsen also reflected on his return to Zagreb, a city he missed in 2024 due to the passing of his mother. 'A little bit of a mixed bag for me,' Carlsen admitted. 'It is a format that I really enjoy and a city that I really enjoy. I have lots of good memories, but I also have very, very difficult memories from not playing last year.' This week's tournament will see Carlsen and Gukesh face off in one rapid and two blitz games. They are joined by a world-class field including India's R Praggnanandhaa, Alireza Firouzja, Fabiano Caruana, and Nodirbek Abdusattorov. Poll Do you believe Carlsen's comments will add pressure on Gukesh during the tournament? Yes, definitely No, it won't affect him In a now-viral moment shared by the Grand Chess Tour, Carlsen and Gukesh shared a quiet handshake, acting as a subtle but powerful nod to the rivalry ahead. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Hindustan Times
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Carlsen on Gukesh: ‘I'll approach it like I'm playing one of the weaker players'
Bengaluru: Roughly a month after their now-viral encounter at Norway Chess, world No.1 Magnus Carlsen and reigning world champion Gukesh D will face each other again in the third leg of the Grand Chess Tour in Zagreb, Croatia. World Chess Champion D Gukesh and former world chess champion Magnus Carlsen. (Norway Chess) The rapid and blitz tournament, which got underway on Wednesday, features a star-studded, 10-player field – including three of the world's top five. Praggnanandhaa R – winner of the Bucharest leg – is the other Indian in contention. Carlsen and Gukesh will meet three times during the event, between July 3 to 6 – once in rapid, and twice in blitz. On July 3, Gukesh will sit across from Carlsen for the first time since his win in Round 6 of Norway Chess – a victory that went viral on social media after the Norwegian's visibly anguished reaction – thumping the table and sending the pieces scattering – after a dramatic blunder and loss from a winning position. It was also the first time Carlsen had lost to the Indian teenager in a classical game. 'I think Gukesh played quite well here last time, but it remains to be proven that he's one of the best players in this format,' Carlsen said. 'We have a very, very strong field…Gukesh hasn't done anything to indicate that he's going to do well in such a tournament. I hope, for his sake, that he can do better. But playing him in this tournament, I will approach it as if I'm playing one of the presumably weaker players (in the tournament).' Asked to name the tournament's top contenders, Carlsen called Alireza Firouzja a clear 'second favourite': 'If I'm in good shape, it will take something special to beat me.' On the eve of the tournament, former world champion Garry Kasparov offered Gukesh a few words of advice: 'The moment you stop improving, actually, the moment you stop thinking about improving – it's over. I stayed on top for so long because I knew that the main opponent is your own excellence… The moment you rest, you know it won't take long to decline.' Reflecting on the months since his title win, Gukesh spoke about taking time to adjust to the weight of expectations: 'Now I've kind of settled into the new life… I am back to focusing on working hard and being my best self in every tournament.'
