Stavanger (Norway), May 29 (UNI) World Chess Champion GM Gukesh Dommaraju marked his 19th birthday with a vital victory against GM Hikaru Nakamura in the third round of the Norway Chess 2025 tournament here on Wednesday.
After a shaky start to the event with two narrow losses, Gukesh bounced back emphatically, showcasing improved time management and resilience under pressure.
The match, unfolding in the classical time control, featured the Giuoco Piano opening, where Gukesh surprised World No.2 Nakamura early with the aggressive queenside pawn thrust 13.b4!, disrupting Nakamura’s setup. Attempting to counterattack on the kingside, Nakamura came close to salvaging a draw, but a critical misstep with 28...Rd8? gave Gukesh the upper hand.
When Nakamura offered a draw on move 30, Gukesh declined and pressed forward with the move 31.h4!, effectively sealing the game in his favour. Nakamura’s last attempt to turn the tide with 31...Na4! was not played, and instead 31...Qd6? hastened his defeat. Gukesh converted the advantage with calm precision, ultimately securing a hard-fought win.
Reflecting on his performance, Gukesh said, "I feel quite good! I think my time management was much better today than before. He [Nakamura] had some drawing chances, but overall it was a good game." The timing of the victory was particularly poignant, coinciding with midnight in India, allowing fans to celebrate the young champion’s birthday in unison with his triumph.
Gukesh’s win is a significant turnaround after his initial struggles in the tournament, where time pressure and narrow losses threatened to derail his campaign. The victory not only boosts his confidence but also keeps him in contention in the highly competitive field, which includes top grandmasters such as Fabiano Caruana and Magnus Carlsen.
Meanwhile, the tournament’s leaderboard saw Caruana take sole lead after defeating GM Arjun Erigaisi, while Carlsen, despite a frustrating armageddon loss to GM Wei Yi, remains firmly in second place.
Norway Chess 2025 continues with round four scheduled for Thursday, promising exciting clashes including a high-stakes encounter between Gukesh and Caruana.
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