At the ongoing Norway Chess tournament, reigning World Champion D Gukesh is putting intense pressure on World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen. After nine rounds, Carlsen is leading with 15 points, just half a point ahead of Gukesh, who sits at 14.5. With only one round to go, the title is still up for grabs.
Magnus Carlsen On The Norway Chess 2025 Tournament
Carlsen’s momentum took a hit in Round 6 when he lost to Gukesh. Visibly frustrated, he banged his fist on the table and sighed, “Oh my God.” That game, he later revealed, was a turning point emotionally. “My tournament was a little bit over after the loss against Gukesh,” Carlsen said. Although he later beat Fabiano Caruana, Carlsen admitted, “It was nice to win against Fabiano Caruana but it was not very inspiring.”
Magnus Carlsen On His Future In Classical Chess
The five-time World Champion also confessed he’s more mentally drained than physically. After the loss, Carlsen even hinted that he might step away from classical chess. “I don’t think that (the game against Gukesh, not the incident) was fun. I have to consider how to avoid it… maybe I should totally stop playing classical chess,” he said. “In general, I feel I have played well in the tournament, but I don’t feel it is fun playing. I am not worried about my level.”
Looking ahead to the final round, Gukesh will face Fabiano Caruana, while Carlsen is set to play against Arjun Erigaisi. Though the title is within reach, Carlsen sounded emotionally detached. He shared, “Honestly, it could have meant a lot to me if I had finished off the game against Gukesh and then played a really good tournament. Now regardless of what happens, it would kind of be like a bit of stumbling into a win.”
Carlsen added, “Of course I want to win, but it’s not that important. The dream of playing a really good tournament burst with that game.
