Daijiworld Media Network – Zagreb
Zagreb, Jul 4: Indian chess sensation and reigning world champion D Gukesh delivered yet another masterclass, defeating world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen for the second consecutive time—this time in rapid format—at the ongoing Super United Rapid and Blitz Chess Tournament, a prestigious leg of the Grand Chess Tour.
Gukesh, who had earlier humbled Carlsen in the classical format during Norway Chess, continued his momentum in the faster time controls, forcing the Norwegian to resign after 49 intense moves—despite Carlsen playing with the advantageous white pieces.
With this monumental victory, the 18-year-old Indian prodigy has now surged to the top of the leaderboard with 10 points, clearly outshining his rivals, while Carlsen lags behind at 6 points, with one day left in the rapid segment of the three-day event.
Chess legend and former world champion Garry Kasparov, speaking on the official broadcast, commended Gukesh's performance while casting doubt over Carlsen’s enduring dominance. “This is not just his second loss to Gukesh—it’s a convincing one. It wasn’t a miracle. It was a strong fight, and Magnus lost it fair and square,” said Kasparov.
Carlsen, before the tournament began, had downplayed Gukesh’s potential in rapid and blitz formats, calling him one of the “presumably weaker players” and stating, “It remains to be proven that he’s among the best in rapid and blitz.”
Gukesh, however, has emphatically silenced the doubters. After a shaky start with a first-round loss to Jan-Krzysztof Duda, the Indian youngster went on a stunning five-game winning streak—defeating Alireza Firouzja, R Praggnanandhaa, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Fabiano Caruana, and now Magnus Carlsen.
Meanwhile, fellow Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa is currently placed seventh with five points, after drawing five games and losing one.
Gukesh's rise is being hailed as a new chapter in Indian chess, as he continues to challenge and overcome the world’s elite with poise and precision.