Norway: Magnus Carlsen clinched his seventh Norway Chess title after Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh suffered a costly defeat to American Fabiano Caruana in the final round of the prestigious tournament.
The title was decided in dramatic fashion, with Gukesh, who had been leading the standings making a critical blunder that cost him both the game and the championship.
Carlsen, meanwhile, salvaged a draw from a difficult position against fellow Indian Arjun Erigaisi, enough to leapfrog Gukesh and secure the crown with 15 points.
Gukesh, the 19-year-old prodigy who had earlier stunned Carlsen in a historic personal first, entered the final round needing a win to stay in control of the tournament.
Facing Caruana, the Indian GM played aggressively despite a shaky start. However, a pivotal error in choosing to promote a pawn to a queen instead of capturing a bishop allowed Caruana to execute a decisive knight fork, sealing Gukesh’s fate.
✨ MAGNUS CARLSEN IS THE NORWAY CHESS CHAMPION FOR THE SIXTH TIME ✨
📷 #NorwayChess / Stev Bonhage pic.twitter.com/Wwy071fwPE
— Norway Chess (@NorwayChess) June 7, 2024
The defeat dropped Gukesh to third place with 14.5 points, behind both Carlsen and Caruana. Visibly frustrated, Gukesh shook hands to concede and buried his face in his hands after the match, a reflection of the heartbreak that comes with narrow margins at the highest level of chess.
Carlsen lauded the new generation of Indian players following his victory. “They are all very good, Gukesh, Arjun, but they still need a little bit of time to prepare,” he said. “
Despite the final-round setback, Gukesh’s performance in the tournament was widely praised. His earlier win over Carlsen marked a major career milestone his first ever against the five-time world champion. The victory drew accolades from across the globe, including a congratulatory message from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
