Latest news with #NorwayChess
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First Post
14 hours ago
- Sport
- First Post
D Gukesh's withdrawal from Las Vegas expected, says Freestyle Chess CEO: ‘Performances have not been that good'
After struggling in the first two legs of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour in Weissenhaus and Paris, reigning world champion D Gukesh has opted to withdraw from the Las Vegas leg next month. Freestyle Chess co-founder and CEO Jan Henric Buettner reacts… read more D Gukesh failed to win a single game in the opening leg of the Grand Slam Tour in Weissenhaus before finishing at the bottom in Paris. Image: Freestyle Chess Gukesh Dommaraju will be taking a break after participating in SuperUnited Croatia Rapid & Blitz, the event that takes place in Zagreb from 2 to 6 July and is part of the Grand Chess Tour. Which means that the 19-year-old not be taking part in the third leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour in Las Vegas, USA from 16 to 20 July. And according to Freestyle Chess co-founder and CEO Jan Henric Buettner, Gukesh's withdrawal from the American leg of the tour was along expected lines, with the teenager – an automatic entry in all Grand Slam events as the world champion – having struggled in Weissenhaus and Paris. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'He said he's exhausted and needs rest,' Buettner told The Times of India. 'His performances have not been that good at any Grand Slam. We were always expecting that he would decline to participate in the next event.' More from Chess D Gukesh missing as Freestyle Chess announces full line-up for Las Vegas Grand Slam; Bibisara set to make history 'Anyway, he had an invitation (for the Las Vegas leg). So after his not-so-good performance in Paris, he was still up for the task. He said, 'We're gonna come. I will come to Las Vegas',' added the German entrepreneur, who will be . 'Norway Chess exhausted him so much' Gukesh had a forgettable run in the first two events of the inaugural Grand Slam Tour, failing to collect a single win in the opening event in Weissenhaus. He did collect a victory in the second event in Paris, but ended up finishing at the bottom of the standings along with compatriot Vidit Gujrathi. The Chennai lad, who had defeated Ding Liren to become the youngest Classical world champion in Singapore in December, had even opened up on his struggles with the unpredictable Freestyle format after his disappointing run across the first two events. Buettner added that Gukesh will have been further exhausted after Norway Chess, where he finished third after a stunning 62-move victory over Magnus Carlsen in the sixth round – the first time he defeated the world No 1 in his career. 'But then, there was Norway Chess. This exhausted him so much. Even I would be exhausted. He was so exhausted that I got a message. He said he's exhausted and would like to rest. He can't come to Las Vegas. Unfortunately, he needs rest. So, you know, that's understandable,' the 60-year-old added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Buettner added that Indian Grandmaster Gujrathi, who was among the four Indians playing in the Paris leg alongside Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi and R Praggnanandhaa, has been included as the world champion's replacement for Las Vegas.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Exclusive: D Gukesh vs Magnus Carlsen not happening in Las Vegas; Freestyle Chess reveals why world champion isn't playing
D Gukesh vs Magnus Carlsen (Photo Credit: Freestyle Chess/Lennart Ootes) NEW DELHI: The official line-up for the Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour was released last Tuesday, and one name was conspicuously absent. Reigning World Champion D Gukesh, who was widely expected to take on Magnus Carlsen once again, was not listed among the 16 players set to battle it out in Sin City from July 16 to 20. Now, Freestyle Chess co-founder and CEO Jan Henric Buettner has revealed the reason behind the late change. "He said he's exhausted and needs rest," Buettner told during an exclusive interaction. "His performances have not been that good at any Grand Slam. We were always expecting that he would decline to participate in the next event," Buettner added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Freestyle Chess (@freestyle_chess) "Anyway, he had an invitation (for the Las Vegas leg). So after his not-so-good performance in Paris, he was still up for the task. He said, 'We're gonna come. I will come to Las Vegas,'" he added. "But then, there was Norway Chess. This exhausted him so much. Even I would be exhausted. He was so exhausted that I got a message. He said he's exhausted and would like to rest. He can't come to Las Vegas. Unfortunately, he needs rest. So, you know, that's understandable." Buettner confirmed that Vidit has now been formally included in the line-up in place of Gukesh. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Brazilian Bikinis 2025 Expertinspector Click Here Undo 'So we invited Vidit again as a replacement. So Vidit will wear the red jacket of Gukesh this time in Vegas,' he said. D Gukesh, Vidit Gujrathi, Arjun Erigaisi, and R Praggnanandhaa from right to left (Photo Credit: ChessBase India) In Freestyle Chess, it has become a tradition for players to wear distinctively coloured jackets -- like in Paris, where R Praggnandhaa wore green, Arjun Eigiasi blue, Vidit maroon, and Gukesh red. The withdrawal comes at a time when Gukesh has been trying to strike consistency on the Freestyle Chess circuit. After an eighth-place finish at Weissenhaus and 11th in Paris, the 19-year-old stood 11th overall with just four FCC points. Post-Grenke Open, he dropped further to 16th. However, Gukesh showed his class at the recent Norway Chess tournament, where he finished third -- just behind Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana -- and notched up wins over the top three FIDE-rated players: Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, and Arjun Erigaisi. Exclusive | Arjuna Awardee Vantika Agrawal: 'People still ask, 'Chess is fine, but what do you really do?'' Meanwhile, the Las Vegas event, the fourth stop of the 2025 Grand Slam Tour, will be Freestyle Chess's first ever on American soil. Hosted at the Wynn Las Vegas from July 16 to 20, the tournament will welcome a live audience and feature a prize pool of $750,000, with $200,000 reserved for the winner. In another development first reported by on Thursday , the Indian leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, scheduled for September 17–24 in New Delhi, has been cancelled due to lack of sponsors. Meanwhile, Jan Henric Buettner will step down as CEO on July 1, with COO Thomas Harsch set to take over daily operations. Buettner will continue as Executive Chairman in a strategic role. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
D Gukesh ‘really unhappy' due to Norway Chess 2025 campaign: ‘One thing about Magnus Carlsen is that…'
Despite failing to win the title at Norway Chess, D Gukesh was able to showcase his reigning world champion credentials with a shock win against Magnus Carlsen. The India No. 3 finished third in Norway, wih a total of 14.5 points, and was behind table-topper Magnus Carlsen (16) and American GM Fabiano Caruana (15.5). Norway Chess 2025: D Gukesh during his Round 6 game vs Magnus Carlsen.(JP Nadda-X) Other than beating Carlsen, Gukesh also secured wins against Hikaru Nakamura and Arjun Erigaisi. Reflecting on his Norway Chess campaign, Gukesh pointed out that there were 'some things' he was 'really unhappy about'. Speaking to ChessBase India, he said, 'Can't say happy, but there are some things to be happy about, some things to be really unhappy about.' 'One thing is starting so badly and finishing so well. In the final round, I had fair chances to win. Starting with two losses in a tournament like this, it's not great. Another thing to be happy about is, in general, when I am in good form, like everything just goes very smoothly, like in Candidates, Olympiad, when I am in my best form, things just happen naturally. 'But sometimes, in tournaments when I am not feeling at my best, it goes shakily. In this tournament, clearly I was not nowhere close to my best. You don't really control your form. It just comes and goes,' he added. After his World Championship victory, Gukesh was in good form in Wijk aan Zee, where he came second at the Tata Masters. But then form crumbled as he had a poor run in the Weissenhaus and Paris Freestyle Chess Grand Slams, and also came ninth in a Classical tournament in Bucharesh, out of ten competitors. Gukesh's Norway Chess campaign also began with a defeat to Carlsen, and then he lost to Arjun in the next round. But then he bounced back to winning ways in the third round, beating Nakamura and then also sealing an Armageddon win against Caruana. His best moment in the sixth round as he took advantage of a massive end-game blunder by Carlsen, to beat the World No. 1. It was also his maiden classical win vs Carlsen. The defeat also saw the Norwegian slam his table in anger. 'One thing about Magnus is that even when he is in bad form, he finishes second or third maximum. So one thing that I can be happy about is, even though I was playing pretty badly, to be honest, I still had chances to win. I guess the thing to be unhappy about is simply that in some games, I was just misevaluating,' said Gukesh. 'For example, in many games, pretty much all the games, there were one or two big moments. But okay. That's a chess weakness. It's nice that we could notice it, because I can just work on that. Some things to be happy about, some things to be not happy about. Overall, I think it was a nice experience,' he added.
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First Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- First Post
D Gukesh reflects on Norway Chess campaign: 'Can't say happy, but there are some things...'
Despite starting his campaign with back-to-back defeats, reigning world champion D Gukesh bounced back in style at the 2025 Norway Chess, where he pulled off a stunning victory over Magnus Carlsen in Round 6 and was among the title contenders until the final round. read more After a series of underwhelming performances following his runner-up finish at the Tata Steel Chess, reigning world champion D Gukesh returned to form at the Norway Chess, where he was among the contenders for the trophy until the final round. Though he did not win the tournament, with world No 1 Magnus Carlsen successfully defending his title and being crowned champion for the seventh time, Gukesh highlighted the fact that he did not become world champion by accident, and that he deserved to be counted among the sport's elite. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Gukesh finished third in the tournament with a total of 14.5 points, behind Carlsen (16) and Fabiano Caruana (15.5). And the key takeaway from the tournament was his victories over Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura and Arjun Erigaisi - the world's top three players as per the latest FIDE ratings. When asked to describe his Norway Chess 2025 campaign, the Chennai lad, who turned 19 during the tournament, described it as something of a mixed bag. 'Can't say happy, but there are some things to be happy about, some things to be really unhappy about,' Gukesh said in an interview with ChessBase India. 'One thing is starting so badly and finishing so well. In the final round, I had fair chances to win. Starting with two losses in a tournament like this, it's not great. Another thing to be happy about is, in general, when I am in good form, like everything just goes very smoothly, like in Candidates, Olympiad, when I am in my best form, things just happen naturally. 'But sometimes, in tournaments when I am not feeling at my best, it goes shakily. In this tournament, clearly I was not nowhere close to my best. You don't really control your form. It just comes and goes,' he added. The teenager had arrived in Stavanger, where the tournament took place, after an underwhelming run in the Weissenhaus and Paris legs of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour as well as in Superbet Chess Classic Romania, a Classical event in Bucharest where he finished ninth out of 10 competitors. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Things got worse for him after he began his campaign in Norway with back-to-back losses, against Carlsen and Arjun. Gukesh, however, bounced back with a victory over Hikaru in the third round followed by an Armageddon win against Caruana. The highlight of his campaign, as well as of the tournament, itself, was his sixth-round victory over Carlsen , in which he forced the iconic player to resign in 62 despite facing a second consecutive defeat at one stage. It was the first time Gukesh defeated Carlsen in his career, and he became only the second Indian after R Praggnanandhaa to achieve the feat. OH MY GOD 😳🤯😲 — Norway Chess (@NorwayChess) June 1, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Despite being shaken by the defeat, which Carlsen later revealed made him feel 'washed and useless' , the Norwegian went on to win the tournament despite being held to a draw by Arjun in the final round and losing the subsequent Armageddon game. Magnus finishes second or third even on his bad days Gukesh, for one, felt that Carlsen tends to finish among the top three even on his bad days. 'One thing about Magnus is that even when he is in bad form, he finishes second or third maximum. So one thing that I can be happy about is, even though I was playing pretty badly, to be honest, I still had chances to win. I guess the thing to be unhappy about is simply that in some games, I was just misevaluating. 'For example, in many games, pretty much all the games, there were one or two big moments. But okay. That's a chess weakness. It's nice that we could notice it, because I can just work on that. Some things to be happy about, some things to be not happy about. Overall, I think it was a nice experience,' he added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Gukesh has opted for a break after the Norway Chess campaign, with his name not appearing in the Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, where he is an automatic entry for all events being the world champion.
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First Post
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- First Post
D Gukesh recalls beating Magnus Carlsen, appreciates Norwegian's gesture after loss: 'My heart rate was so high'
Asked to reflect on his victory over Magnus Carlsen in a time scramble, D Gukesh candidly admitted that the result had such a big impact on him that, for a while, he didn't understand what was happening around him. read more The video of Magnus Carlsen slamming the table after losing to D Gukesh had become a worldwide rage. World chess champion D Gukesh's famous win over world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and the five-time world champion's famous table smash after his first-ever Classical-format loss to the Indian at Norway Chess 2025 felt like a seminal moment in chess. It seemed like a proper passing of the baton from Carlsen's generation, with the Norwegian widely regarded as the greatest chess player of all time, to the NextGen, led by the youngest world champion ever, Gukesh. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The fact that Carlsen himself had never rated Gukesh very highly and picked multiple faults in his game across Classical and Freestyle formats made the Indian chess star's victory even more profound and Carlsen hitting the table after losing in a time scramble made the incident worldwide popular. What's quite amazing is that Gukesh was on the losing end throughout the match, but things changed completely once it entered the time control. The 19-year-old Indian Grandmaster is known for his dogged defence and he applied the same fighting spirit on the board on the fateful day as Carlsen committed a rare blunder to lose to Gukesh for the first time in a classical match. Gukesh: 'My heart rate was so high after beating Carlsen' Reflecting on his biggest win so far, Gukesh said that he was so engrossed in the match and the feeling of winning against Carlsen was so strong that he didn't even realise that the 34-year-old banged the table after losing. 'I was just trying to calculate the course, and after I realised it's just winning. But it was such a quick shift from losing to draw to completely winning,' Gukesh told Chess Base India in an interview. 'My mind was just trying to process what happened in the game. OH MY GOD 😳🤯😲 — Norway Chess (@NorwayChess) June 1, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I did not pay much attention to him banging the table. My heart rate was so high in those final moments. I don't even know what I felt exactly. I was just happy to win the game.' Carlsen, however, was quick to realise his mistake as he congratulated Gukesh, apologised for banging the table and patted the Indian on the back. Gukesh said it was a great gesture by Carlsen to appreciate his opponent despite suffering a bitter loss. 'I was just happy that I won the game. I didn't realize much what else was happening. But even after losing such a game, to appreciate your opponent, it's quite nice,' Gukesh added.
