The Norway Chess 2025 tournament witnessed the defeat of the century when the world champion, Gukesh D, defeated world number 1 Magnus Carlsen in classical chess for the first time in history. Carlsen has always been critical of Gukesh ever since he became the world champion, often calling him non-impressive. He has also defeated Gukesh several times in other formats, such as the Freestyle format, and even defeated him in the first round of Norway Chess 2025 in the classical game.
However, the world champion struck back right at him in round 6 of the Norway Chess 2025. Carlsen was visibly upset with the defeat as he was actually in a good position throughout the game, but one critical error cost him the win in the last moments. Gukesh then turned the tables by capitalising on the error, and his victory was not just a personal achievement but also a significant moment in chess as he joined the elite club of a few members who had defeated Carlsen in classical chess.
Carlsen’s frustration was evident immediately after the loss as he banged his fist on the table, and poetically enough, only his king fell off the board. He expressed his disbelief and yelled, “Oh my god!” The loss marked a turning point in the Norway Chess 2025, and as it turned out, in Carlsen’s approach to classical chess itself.
What Did Carlsen Say About His Future In Classical Chess?
In the aftermath of this defeat to Gukesh D, Carlsen gave a candid interview to Norway’s TV2, where he openly questioned his future in classical chess. He stated, “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. It was not fun for me at all. 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.”
He mentioned that he would complete the remaining rounds of the Norway Chess 2025, however, his return to this format is unlikely.
He said, “I think I’ll play the last three games (in Norway Chess), and then I will have to make some decisions about next year here or potential other tournaments later, because, yeah, I just don’t enjoy (classical chess) that much.”
In another interview, when asked about actually stepping away from the classical events, he said, “It’s possible, yeah. I’m not going to sit here and say that I’m not going to play classical events ever again, but right now it doesn’t.”
Gukesh D Reacts To The News
Gukesh D, on the other hand, talked about his historic win, admitting that he had been on the verge of resigning at one point during the game. He said, “I was just losing at some point, was slowly getting outplayed. From the opening, nothing went my way. But once I got to this position, I had to keep making moves that don’t lose on the spot. And then in the time scramble, things happen. 99 out of 100 times I would lose, ”
When asked about Carlsen’s reaction and he said, “First classical win against Magnus, not the way I expected, but I will take it.”
Gukesh D also shared his views on the potential retirement of Magnus Carlsen and stated, “The thing is that, you know, losses are painful no matter what, but at least if I can lose doing something that I really enjoy (Blitz, Rapid or Freestyle), then that’s much easier. It’s not that I cannot play (classical chess), it’s just situations like yesterday (loss to Gukesh), I’m just wondering, like, why am I doing this? What’s the point?”
Also Read: Magnus Carlsen Questions His Career After Losing To Gukesh, Says “Maybe I should stop playing…
