Gukesh’s Disaster in Zagreb: Five Losses in a Row and Carlsen Explodes!
Zagreb witnessed a chess rollercoaster like no other! The young Indian chess prodigy, 19-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju, who had been dominating the rapid and blitz formats, suffered a catastrophic collapse at the Grand Chess Tour. Five losses in a row in the blitz segment! Yes, you read that right – five straight defeats!
Gukesh – From Hero to Tragic Figure
After the initial days of the tournament, Gukesh was leading with 14 points, ahead of Polish grandmaster Jan-Krzysztof Duda and the legendary Magnus Carlsen. However, the fourth day turned into a nightmare. In blitz chess, where each move is limited to just two seconds, Gukesh ran into severe time trouble and lost five games consecutively.
This slump dropped him from the top spot to third place, trailing the leader Carlsen by 1.5 points, who meanwhile exploded with a stunning 7.5 out of 9 points that day.
Carlsen – The King Returns
Magnus Carlsen, who appeared slow and nervous at the start of the tournament, showed why he is the best chess player of our time. With the support of his pregnant wife Ella Victoria, Carlsen regained his form and took the lead in the tournament.
“Rapid games are long and demanding, but I enjoy blitz,” Carlsen said, admitting he was nervous due to time pressure but managed to handle it.
Ivan Šarić – The Best Croatian, But No Salvation
Our best player Ivan Šarić managed to beat Gukesh in one of the blitz games, but it wasn’t enough to avoid falling to the last place in the standings. With just one point, Šarić lagged behind players like Abdusattorov from Uzbekistan and Giri from the Netherlands, who both have 11 points.
Chess Spectacle in Zagreb
The Zagreb tournament gathered seven of the world’s top ten chess players, including the top-ranked Magnus Carlsen and reigning world champion Gukesh. The audience enjoyed spectacular games in rapid, blitz, and bullet formats.
What Happened to Gukesh?
How could a young genius, who became the youngest world champion at 18, suffer such a collapse? The problem is clearly in the blitz format, where time is crucial. Gukesh fell into serious time trouble in several games, resulting in a string of losses.
Is This the End of Gukesh’s Dominance?
Absolutely not! Gukesh remains one of the best and most promising players in the world. But this tournament shows how ruthless blitz chess is and how important perfect time management is.
Conclusion
Zagreb saw a true chess drama unfold. Young Gukesh fell, but Carlsen exploded and took the lead. Ivan Šarić gave his all but couldn’t save the situation. This tournament proves how unpredictable chess is and how each format presents a unique challenge.
If you thought chess was boring, think again! This tournament was a chess soap opera with ups and downs, heroes and tragedies. What do you think – can Gukesh reclaim the throne? Or is Carlsen unstoppable once again? Drop a comment and let the debate ignite like a game on the edge of checkmate!
