Stavanger (Norway), June 2: The world watched eagerly as 19-year-old Indian chess prodigy D. Gukesh faced Magnus Carlsen, the reigning chess champion, at the Norway Chess 2025 tournament.

On Sunday, Gukesh achieved a remarkable victory by defeating Carlsen in a classical chess game — his first-ever win against the world No. 1 in this format.

Carlsen, playing with the white pieces, held the upper hand for most of the match and put constant pressure on Gukesh. But Gukesh stayed calm and defended perfectly. When Carlsen made a late mistake due to time pressure, Gukesh quickly took advantage and won the game.

Gukesh said after the match, “There was not much I could do except make the most of the opportunity. I made tricky moves, and luckily, Carlsen got into a time scramble. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, I would have lost. Today was a lucky day.”

Carlsen, clearly frustrated, slammed the chessboard and left the arena, while Gukesh quietly celebrated his important win with his coach.

Earlier in the tournament, Carlsen had beaten Gukesh in the opening round, but this time Gukesh stayed strong when it mattered most.

The Norway Chess tournament, held from May 26 to June 6 in Stavanger, is one of the top events in the chess world, featuring top male and female players in a six-player double round-robin format.

— IANS