The third and highly anticipated battle between chess prodigy Gukesh and World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen concluded in a lightning-fast 14-move draw, lasting just over a minute at the SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz Croatia event.
A Blazing-Fast Encounter
The chess world watched as the latest showdown between Gukesh, the youngest classical world champion, and five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen ended in an incredibly quick draw. This Round 13 blitz game lasted only one minute and four seconds.
When both grandmasters agreed to the draw, Gukesh still had 5 minutes and 10 seconds on his clock, actually more time than he started with. Carlsen also retained significant time, showing just how rapidly the game unfolded.
A Rivalry So Far
This swift draw marked their third encounter at the Zagreb tournament. In their initial rapid format clash, Gukesh had impressively defeated Carlsen, surprising many and even topping the leaderboard after the rapid section.
However, the blitz portion of the tournament has seen Gukesh face some challenges, including a loss to Carlsen in their first blitz game on Saturday. This quick draw was a different kind of result for both players.
Carlsen’s “Survival Mode”
Ahead of this specific game, Magnus Carlsen openly admitted he was in “survival mode.” He described his play as “super shaky” and felt his usual game wasn’t there, despite his results often working out in his favor.
Carlsen mentioned he was “hustling it” through his games. This draw against Gukesh was his third of the day, with his only win coming against Alireza Firouzja, alongside draws with Anish Giri and Fabiano Caruana.
Gukesh’s Day on the Board
Meanwhile, the Indian world champion had a mixed start to his Sunday. He began with two consecutive defeats against Wesley So and Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
Gukesh managed to bounce back with a win against Jan-Krzysztof Duda, who was ahead of him in the standings, before this rapid draw with Carlsen.
Unpacking the Moves
The game began with Gukesh, playing with the white pieces, opening with the traditional Ruy Lopez. Carlsen took a moment to adjust his pieces before responding.
The game quickly transitioned into an Open Berlin Defense. After a rapid exchange of minor pieces, both players’ queens performed a series of sideway shuffles, leading to a draw by threefold repetition. This meant the same position appeared three times, allowing either player to claim a draw.
Reactions from the Commentary Booth
The swift conclusion of the game generated quite a reaction in the playing hall. WGM Anastasiya Karlovich, part of the commentary team, noted a mix of disappointment and surprise, quickly followed by laughter from the audience.
Karlovich shared that even Carlsen seemed surprised by the quick end. He reportedly told Anish Giri’s second that he didn’t expect the line Gukesh played, indicating it wasn’t part of his pre-game preparation for that opening.
- The third Gukesh vs. Carlsen match lasted just 14 moves and 64 seconds.
- Both players ended the game with more time on their clocks than they started.
- Magnus Carlsen described himself as being in “survival mode” due to feeling “super shaky.”
- The game concluded in a draw by threefold repetition after an Open Berlin Defense.
- The rapid draw surprised spectators and even Carlsen himself.
This quick draw adds another interesting chapter to the evolving rivalry between these two chess titans, highlighting the unpredictable nature of top-tier blitz chess.
The highly anticipated third battle between chess prodigy Gukesh and World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen concluded in a lightning-fast 14-move draw, lasting just over a minute at the SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz Croatia event.
A Blazing-Fast Encounter
The chess world watched as the latest showdown between Gukesh, the youngest classical world champion, and five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen ended in an incredibly quick draw. This Round 13 blitz game lasted only one minute and four seconds.
When both grandmasters agreed to the draw, Gukesh still had 5 minutes and 10 seconds on his clock, actually more time than he started with. Carlsen also retained significant time, showing just how rapidly the game unfolded.
A Rivalry So Far
This swift draw marked their third encounter at the Zagreb tournament. In their initial rapid format clash, Gukesh had impressively defeated Carlsen, surprising many and even topping the leaderboard after the rapid section.
However, the blitz portion of the tournament has seen Gukesh face some challenges, including a loss to Carlsen in their first blitz game on Saturday. This quick draw was a different kind of result for both players.
Carlsen’s “Survival Mode”
Ahead of this specific game, Magnus Carlsen openly admitted he was in “survival mode.” He described his play as “super shaky” and felt his usual game wasn’t there, despite his results often working out in his favor.
Carlsen mentioned he was “hustling it” through his games. This draw against Gukesh was his third of the day, with his only win coming against Alireza Firouzja, alongside draws with Anish Giri and Fabiano Caruana.
Gukesh’s Day on the Board
Meanwhile, the Indian world champion had a mixed start to his Sunday. He began with two consecutive defeats against Wesley So and Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
Gukesh managed to bounce back with a win against Jan-Krzysztof Duda, who was ahead of him in the standings, before this rapid draw with Carlsen.
Unpacking the Moves
The game began with Gukesh, playing with the white pieces, opening with the traditional Ruy Lopez. Carlsen took a moment to adjust his pieces before responding.
The game quickly transitioned into an Open Berlin Defense. After a rapid exchange of minor pieces, both players’ queens performed a series of sideway shuffles, leading to a draw by threefold repetition. This meant the same position appeared three times, allowing either player to claim a draw.
Reactions from the Commentary Booth
The swift conclusion of the game generated quite a reaction in the playing hall. WGM Anastasiya Karlovich, part of the commentary team, noted a mix of disappointment and surprise, quickly followed by laughter from the audience.
Karlovich shared that even Carlsen seemed surprised by the quick end. He reportedly told Anish Giri’s second that he didn’t expect the line Gukesh played, indicating it wasn’t part of his pre-game preparation for that opening.
- The third Gukesh vs. Carlsen match lasted just 14 moves and 64 seconds.
- Both players ended the game with more time on their clocks than they started.
- Magnus Carlsen described himself as being in “survival mode” due to feeling “super shaky.”
- The game concluded in a draw by threefold repetition after an Open Berlin Defense.
- The rapid draw surprised spectators and even Carlsen himself.
This quick draw adds another interesting chapter to the evolving rivalry between these two chess titans, highlighting the unpredictable nature of top-tier blitz chess.
