Gukesh's Zagreb Triumph: Victory Over Carlsen and a Cousin's Bold Prediction Fuel Chess Star's Rise

D. Gukesh emerged victorious in the rapid section of the SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz tournament in Zagreb, Croatia, highlighted by a significant win against World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen. Following his triumph, Gukesh shared an amusing anecdote about a bet with his cousin, who foresaw his victory over the Norwegian grandmaster.

Gukesh beat World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in the rapid format in Zagreb. (Image credit: Chess.com)

After initially forgetting to acknowledge his cousin in the post-match interview, Gukesh later rectified the omission. "It is a bit funny. Before I came into this tournament, one of my cousins told me that I was going to beat Magnus. So we made a deal that if I do beat Magnus, I will give him a shoutout in my interview. I completely forgot yesterday, and he was quite upset about that," Gukesh recounted with a chuckle.

The young grandmaster exhibited remarkable resilience throughout the tournament. After an initial setback in the form of a loss to Jan-Krzysztof Duda, he rebounded impressively with five consecutive wins. His pivotal victory over Carlsen in Round 4 propelled him to the forefront of the competition.

Gukesh concluded the rapid segment on a high note, securing a win against Wesley So of the United States in the final round. He capitalized on a tactical error, winning the game in 36 moves. His performance comprised six wins, two draws, and a single loss.

Looking ahead to the blitz format, Gukesh is determined to maintain his momentum. "I think so far I have been playing good chess, so strategy will be to play good chess with good time management and I hope that everything will work out," he stated.