In a composed yet ruthless display of tactical mastery, India’s D Gukesh dismantled World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in the sixth round of the Grand Chess Tour's SuperUnited Rapid in Zagreb, Croatia on Thursday, just days after being dismissed by the Norwegian as “one of the presumably weaker players.”
Playing with the Black pieces, the 18-year-old Indian grandmaster delivered a sharp, punishing performance that forced Carlsen to resign after 49 moves. The victory, his second straight against the five-time world champion, catapulted Gukesh to the top of the standings with 10 points from six games.
The win carried extra weight given Carlsen’s recent remarks. Earlier in the week, while discussing the tournament line-up, the Norwegian had made a pointed comment labelling Gukesh among the "presumably weaker" participants, a statement that drew attention considering their recent clash at Norway Chess, where the Indian had also emerged victorious.
This time, there were no theatrical reactions from Carlsen, no smashed pieces or visible outbursts. But the result was unmistakably emphatic. Gukesh arrived at the board early, settled in silently, and let his pieces speak. Carlsen opened with the English and appeared slightly better midway through the game. But Gukesh turned the tide with the dynamic 26...d5, a central break that unbalanced the position. With Carlsen's clock ticking down and his defence faltering, the resignation came swiftly.
“Now we can question Magnus' domination,” said Garry Kasparov on commentary. “This isn't just another loss. It's a convincing one. Gukesh didn't just capitalise on mistakes, he played better.”
The result marked the high point of a remarkable day for the Chennai-based teenager. After starting with a loss to Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Gukesh bounced back with consecutive victories against Alireza Firouzja, compatriot R Praggnanandhaa, and then Carlsen. Three wins on the trot cemented his standing as the sole leader.
Also read: Carlsen, Gukesh & Pragg headline Croatia chess event
“I wasn't too disheartened after the first-round loss,” Gukesh said. “Duda got a good position and played well.”
Carlsen, meanwhile, had a more erratic run. He edged out Wesley So in a lengthy battle but had to settle for draws against Ivan Šarić and Duda. Heading into the final day of the rapid section, the world No. 1 now trails Gukesh by four points.
Under the Grand Chess Tour’s format, rapid victories carry two points each, while blitz wins, to be played in the following rounds, offer one point apiece.
Gukesh’s performance in Zagreb is another milestone in a meteoric rise that has already seen him win the FIDE Candidates Tournament earlier this year. His ability to compete, and win, against the elite of world chess appears no longer in doubt.
Wesley So was the only other competitor involved in three decisive games during the day. The American defeated Fabiano Caruana and Anish Giri but fell to Carlsen.
For Gukesh, the numbers speak for themselves. Ten points from six games. Two wins in a row over Carlsen. A response not in words, but on the board.
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