“Just a Lucky Day”: Gukesh Downplays Historic Win Over Magnus Carlsen

Photo: @narendramodi

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI – In a dramatic turnaround at the Norway Chess 2025 tournament, India’s teenage World Champion D Gukesh stunned the chess world by defeating former world number one Magnus Carlsen in Round 6 of the competition. The win marked Gukesh’s first-ever classical victory over the Norwegian legend—and only the second by an Indian player in the tournament’s history, following Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa.

While the result made headlines globally, Gukesh’s reaction was strikingly modest. Speaking to Chess.com after the game, the 19-year-old said, “I mean, [it was] not the way I wanted it to be, but okay, I will take it.” His candor reflected both humility and a deep understanding of the game’s course, which he admitted he was losing for most of the time.

Carlsen, visibly frustrated after letting the game slip through his fingers, reacted emotionally once the final move was played. A video shared on Norway Chess’s official social media handle showed Carlsen banging the table, causing several pieces to tumble. However, he maintained sportsmanship, shaking Gukesh’s hand and offering a brief pat on the back as the young Indian collected himself after the emotional win.

Gukesh, too, empathized with Carlsen’s reaction. “I have also banged a lot of tables in my career,” he said with a smile, showing maturity beyond his years. The Chennai-born prodigy acknowledged the unlikely nature of his victory, noting, “99 out of 100 times I would lose, but it was just a lucky day.”

Indeed, Carlsen had maintained the upper hand for much of the match. But as time pressure mounted, Gukesh found creative ways to stay in the game and eventually turned the tables. The win propelled him to third place on the tournament leaderboard with 8.5 points, trailing only Carlsen and American Fabiano Caruana by a single point.

Just a few days earlier, in the tournament’s opening round on May 27, Carlsen had convincingly defeated Gukesh in their first classical meeting since the Indian’s rise to World Champion. That match, widely billed as a “clash of titans,” had showcased Carlsen’s trademark attacking brilliance and seemed to reaffirm his dominance. But Sunday’s encounter told a different story—one of grit, patience, and resilience.

Gukesh’s coach, Grandmaster Vishnu Prasanna, highlighted these very qualities in his post-match remarks. “We have to give a lot of credit to Gukesh for his stubbornness and his resourcefulness,” he said. “I think he was aware that he was dead lost for so long, yet he kept kicking. The lower the time got, the more chances he had. I don’t think he intended to win that, but I am sure he is happy.”