D Gukesh defeats Magnus Carlsen days after explosive comment from World No. 1

This time, there was no furious slam on the table. However, Carlsen had to resign once more to the current world champion. Their earlier encounter, at Norway Chess last month, concluded with Carlsen noticeably shaken following an uncommon classical loss. This occasion in Zagreb was a fast-paced match—but the outcome remained unchanged. Gukesh, composed and methodical, outperformed the Norwegian again.

Earlier this week, Carlsen made a sharp comment about the competition in Croatia, labeling Gukesh as one of the “presumably weaker players.” It was a remark that attracted attention, particularly considering their past.

When they eventually met at the board for their rematch, Gukesh got there first, spent a few silent moments alone, and patiently waited. Carlsen began with the English and appeared to have the advantage following 18…Nh5 19.Bf2!. However, Gukesh, undeterred, took the lead with a decisive 26…d5. Carlsen started to falter, and as his situation deteriorated and his time went below a minute, the stress took its toll. He stepped down following 49 moves.

It was a controlled, assured performance from Gukesh-a reminder that he’s no longer the outsider. He’s playing as an equal among the game’s biggest names.

“Now we can question Magnus’ domination,” said Garry Kasparov on commentary. “This isn’t just another loss. It’s a convincing one. Gukesh didn’t just capitalise on mistakes-he played better.”

The result capped a remarkable day for the teenager. He had started with a loss to Jan-Krzysztof Duda but bounced back strongly, beating Alireza Firouzja and fellow Indian R Praggnanandhaa before taking down Carlsen. Three wins on the trot to end the day.

“I wasn’t too disheartened after the first-round loss,” Gukesh said. “Duda got a good position and played well.”

Carlsen had a more fluctuating day. He triumphed in an extended match against Wesley So but had to agree to draws with Ivan Saric and Duda. He currently lags behind Gukesh by four points as they approach the last day of the rapid section. In the Grand Chess Tour format, victories in rapid games earn two points, whereas the subsequent blitz matches award one point for each win.

Wesley So was the only other participant apart from Gukesh who took part in every decisive match that day. He defeated fellow countryman Fabiano Caruana and Dutch GM Anish Giri. Gukesh, on the other hand, wraps up the second day of the rapid section with 10 points from a total of 12. With momentum favoring him, the teenager is confidently in control and displaying no indications of slowing down.