Norway chess: Gukesh blunders in final round; Carlsen walks away with title for 7th time

WORLD champion D Gukesh fumbled in the final round of Norway Chess in Stavanger, while Magnus Carlsen clinched a record-extending seventh title.

In his 10th round match with American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana on Friday (6), Gukesh committed a costly blunder and finished third.

He tried to stage a late comeback but ran out of time and committed a blunder, instantly realizing his chances had slipped away.

Gukesh offered a handshake, grimaced, closed his eyes, and buried his face in both hands in frustration.

This tournament was a roller coaster for Gukesh, as he started on a lackluster note, but turned things around and by the ninth round he was a title contender.

In the six-player double round-robin tournament he scored impressive Classical wins over Magnus Carlsen, compatriot Arjun Erigaisi, and China’s Wei Yi.

Defending champion Carlsen, who was leading with 15 points after round 9, ended the tournament with 16 points after managing a draw Erigaisi in the last round.

Carlsen said he had to “literally fight for his life” to stay in the match against Erigaisi.

While Caruana came second with 15.5 points, Gukesh finished third with 14.5 points.

Setback for Humpy

In the women’s section, overnight leader and two-time world blitz champion, Ukraine’s Anna Muzychuk, won 16.5 points despite an Armageddon tie-break loss to India’s R. Vaishali in the final round.

Muzychuk’s draw in the classical game against the Indian earned both players a point each, while Vaishali secured another half a point by beating the Ukrainian in the Armageddon sudden death to finish on 11 points.

Koneru Humpy who was on 13.5 points overnight after round 9, could only manage a draw with white pieces to earn one point.

She got another half point by overcoming Wenjun in the Armageddon tie-break to earn 1.5 points, and finish with 15 points and a third-place finish.