Gukesh vs Magnus Carlsen, Norway Chess 2025: Gukesh's First Classical Win
On 1 June 2025, in round 6 of Norway Chess in Stavanger, World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju beat world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in a classical game for the first time. Carlsen was winning for most of the game, but in time trouble he played 52...Ne2+?? and lost a knight. Carlsen banged his fist on the table, then shook hands and resigned.
Key facts
- Game
- Gukesh D (White) 1-0 Magnus Carlsen (Black)
- Event
- 13th Norway Chess, round 6, Stavanger, 1 June 2025
- Opening
- Ruy Lopez, Anti-Berlin with 4.d3 (ECO C65)
- Moves
- 62
- Turning point
- 52...Ne2+?? (52...Re8 kept Black better)
- Why it matters
- Gukesh's first classical win against Carlsen
- Final standings
- Carlsen 16, Caruana 15½, Gukesh 14½: Carlsen still won the tournament
The setup: champion against No. 1
Gukesh became World Champion in December 2024, when he beat Ding Liren in Singapore at the age of 18. Many fans still saw Carlsen, who had given up the title in 2023, as the best player in the world, and Gukesh had never beaten him in a classical game. Earlier in the same tournament, Carlsen had won their first game with White.
In the Rama Chess archive the two have played 54 games in all time controls (2021 to 2025): Carlsen won 37, Gukesh won 11 and 6 were drawn. Almost all of Gukesh's wins came in rapid and blitz. See the full Gukesh vs Carlsen head-to-head.
The opening: a quiet Ruy Lopez
Gukesh opened 1.e4 and Carlsen answered with the Berlin move 3...Nf6. Gukesh avoided the main lines with 4.d3, and Carlsen chose a set-up with ...Bc5, ...d6 and an early 7...a6. The middlegame was slow and closed. Carlsen said on the broadcast that he did not fully understand Gukesh's plan, but he felt he was playing very well.
Carlsen takes over
He was right. After 32.Nf3 Carlsen opened the white king with 32...hxg3 33.fxg3 Nxh3! and 34.gxh3 Bxe4. Around move 40 his king walked up the board to support his pawns, and Stockfish rated Black's position as close to winning (about two and a half pawns in Black's favour).
The turning point: 44...f6 and 52...Ne2+??
Then the clock started to matter. With little time left, Carlsen played 44...f6, which let some of his advantage slip, although Black was still better. Gukesh kept finding the most stubborn moves. On move 52, after 52.Nd7 attacked the rook on f8, Carlsen played 52...Ne2+??. After 53.Rxe2+ Kxe2 54.Nxf8 White was simply a knight up, and the rest was technique: Gukesh stopped the black pawns and won on move 62 with 62.Kf4.
Load the game into our free analyser and watch the evaluation change move by move. Or enter practice mode to play from any position in the game.
The reaction at the board
When Carlsen saw that the game was lost, he banged his fist on the table so hard that the pieces jumped. He apologised, shook Gukesh's hand and left the hall. The video was shared all over the world within hours. Gukesh later said he understood the reaction.
Why this game matters
- A first classical win. Before 1 June 2025 Gukesh had never beaten Carlsen in classical chess. After this game, nobody could say the World Champion had never beaten the world No. 1 at the board.
- It changed the tournament, but not the winner. The win brought Gukesh close to the leaders. Carlsen still won Norway Chess 2025 with 16 points, ahead of Fabiano Caruana (15½) and Gukesh (14½).
- It showed how much the clock matters. Carlsen played very well for 40 moves, and one move in time trouble decided the game.
Gukesh defends his world title against Javokhir Sindarov from 24 November 2026 in Geneva: see the World Chess Championship 2026 guide. Carlsen is still world No. 1 on the October 2026 FIDE list: who is world No. 1 in chess?
Frequently asked questions
Has Gukesh ever beaten Magnus Carlsen in classical chess?
Yes. Gukesh's first classical win over Carlsen came in round 6 of Norway Chess 2025 in Stavanger, on 1 June 2025. He had White and won in 62 moves after Carlsen blundered with 52...Ne2+ in time trouble.
What happened in Gukesh vs Carlsen at Norway Chess 2025?
Carlsen outplayed Gukesh and was close to winning for most of the game. Short of time, he played 44...f6 and then the losing 52...Ne2+, which gave away a knight. Gukesh converted the endgame, and Carlsen banged the table before resigning.
Who won Norway Chess 2025?
Magnus Carlsen won Norway Chess 2025 with 16 points, ahead of Fabiano Caruana (15½) and Gukesh (14½), even though he lost to Gukesh in round 6.
What is the head-to-head record between Gukesh and Carlsen?
In the Rama Chess archive they have played 54 games in all time controls from 2021 to 2025: Carlsen won 37, Gukesh won 11 and 6 were drawn. Most games were rapid and blitz.
What opening was played in Gukesh vs Carlsen, Norway Chess 2025?
A Ruy Lopez: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3, the quiet Anti-Berlin (ECO C65).
Play Through the Full Game
Every move of the game, free on Rama Chess:
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