In the World Chess Cup quarterfinals, Magnus Carlsen defeats Gukesh to take the lead
When Magnus Carlsen, the five-time chess world champion, is in top form, facing him on the board can be quite challenging and even punishing. This fact was evident to India’s rising chess star, D Gukesh, who holds the seventh position in the live ratings.
In the initial match of the FIDE World Cup quarterfinal held in Baku on Tuesday, Gukesh learned this lesson the hard way. Although playing with the black pieces, the Norwegian grandmaster took advantage of a small oversight by Gukesh and skillfully navigated through a demanding endgame, ultimately winning the game in 49 moves.
With this loss, the 17-year-old Gukesh is now in a must-win situation for the following day’s match. Carlsen, on the other hand, only requires a draw to secure his place in the semifinals.
