D Gukesh defeated World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in the sixth round of the Grand Chess Tournament in Zagreb, Croatia on Thursday (July 3). With this win Gukesh, the 19-year-old Indian grandmaster claimed the sole lead with 10 points.
A fifth consecutive win for D Gukesh
D Gukesh entered the sixth round as the joint leader after an impressive performance on the opening day. His momentum continued in the fourth and fifth rounds, where he secured victories against Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov and American Fabiano Caruana, two of the world’s top players.
Magnus Carlsen’s pre-match comments
D Gukesh’s win was especially significant given Carlsen’s pre-match comments.
Before the match, Magnus Carlsen, known for his psychological approach to chess, made headlines with his remarks about Gukesh. The Norwegian grandmaster, a five-time world champion, suggested that Gukesh had yet to prove himself in the rapid format.
“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.
He added, “Gukesh hasn’t done anything to [show] 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.”
What lies ahead?
The sixth-round clash was the first of three scheduled encounters between Gukesh and Carlsen in Zagreb. While Thursday’s match was played in the rapid format, the upcoming meetings will tak place in the blitz format. In the format, players have even less time to make their moves.
Blitz chess demands fast decision-making skills. These matches will be critical in determining whether Gukesh can maintain his lead and further cement his dominance in the tournament.
D Gukesh’s win and impact on the Indian Chess
D Gukesh’s victory over Carlsen is a milestone for Indian chess. At just 19, Gukesh has already claimed the world championship title and is now challenging the game’s biggest names on the global stage. His performance in Zagreb highlights the rise of Indian chess, with players like Viswanathan Anand and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu paving the way for this new generation.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Gukesh to see if he can maintain his lead and beat the top players.
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