Gukesh Stuns Carlsen Again, Dominates Super United Rapid & Blitz
Gukesh defeats the World No. 1 Yet Again
World Chess Champion D Gukesh delivered a masterclass, outplaying world number one Magnus Carlsen to seize the sole lead after six rounds in the Super United Rapid and Blitz tournament in Croatia. The Indian prodigy’s fifth consecutive victory, a stunning triumph as Black on Thursday, propelled him to 10 points out of 12, leaving rivals trailing.
Gukesh’s latest win over Carlsen, who once criticized his rapid game, was a statement. Carlsen’s king pawn opening promised an edge, but Gukesh countered brilliantly, exploiting a flawed plan as the clock ticked. After 49 moves, Carlsen’s two minor pieces for a rook and pawns proved no match for Gukesh’s precision, sealing a famous victory. Earlier, Gukesh dispatched Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Fabiano Caruana with equal finesse.
With three rounds left in the rapid section, Gukesh leads Poland’s Duda Jan-Krzysztof by two points (8 points), while Wesley So of the USA holds third with 7. Carlsen, alongside Anish Giri and local star Ivan Saric, languishes at 6 points. R Praggnanandhaa, sharing seventh with Caruana at 5 points, struggled with draws against Caruana, Carlsen, and Giri, needing wins to climb. Alireza Firouzja (4 points) and Abdusattorov (3 points) round out the standings.
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Carlsen, who famously banged the table after losing to Gukesh in classical chess at Norway Chess, faced another humbling defeat. Gukesh’s calm under pressure and tactical brilliance have made him the player to beat. As the tournament heads into its final rapid rounds, all eyes are on the 18-year-old Indian sensation to maintain his iron grip on the lead and cement his dominance in this star-studded field.
**Standings (Round 6):** 1. Gukesh (10); 2. Duda (8); 3. So (7); 4-6. Saric, Carlsen, Giri (6); 7-8. Caruana, Praggnanandhaa (5); 9. Firouzja (4); 10. Abdusattorov (3).
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