Magnus Carlsen reaffirmed his dominance in the chess world by clinching his seventh Norway Chess title in 2025, extending his legacy as the world number one. Describing the win as a “relief” after a fiercely contested tournament, Carlsen overcame earlier setbacks, including a notable loss to 19-year-old Indian chess sensation Gukesh D.
When asked about who was a better competition between Gukesh or Arjun Erigaisi, he seemed indifferent and added how R Praggnanandhaa and Aravindh Chithambaram offered him great competition at a simultaneous league in Armenia. He added that, “they are very good chess players…but none of them are quite ready to take over.”
He pointed out that the game against Gukesh was “not a positive memory” but the “game will stick out” from his “rollercoaster” journey at the Norway Chess 2025. American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana defeated Gukesh, which gave him a three point push.
Commenting on Gukesh’s performance, Carlsen added how, “he’s doing fantastic, but he’s not ahead of track.” “I felt I generally played the best chess, but stumbling over the finish line, winning by half a point after a lot of results go my way…I feel in parts of the game I’m a lot better than the kids… I generally feel I can outplay the kids, which feels good.”
Gukesh was gutted after losing a crucial match after his feat against Carlsen in a previous match, the video of which went viral. Congratulated by PM Modi himself, it was a momentous win for his record. He stood at rank 3 with 14.5 points.
Carlsen’s victory at Norway Chess 2025 reasserts his dominance in an increasingly competitive field filled with emerging Indian talent. While prodigies like Gukesh, Arjun, Pragg, and Aravindh are clearly closing the gap, Carlsen’s experience, composure under pressure, and tactical sharpness remain unmatched. The message is clear: the next generation is promising, but the reigning king isn’t stepping down just yet.