Gukesh-Carlsen Duel Ends in Record-Time Draw at Zagreb Blitz Finale
The much-anticipated final clash between reigning world champion D Gukesh and world no. 1 Magnus Carlsen wrapped up in just 14 moves and 64 seconds, marking one of the shortest games in their rivalry at the SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz Croatia tournament in Zagreb.
Despite earlier games full of drama, the last round between the two chess titans ended in a peaceful, if surprising, draw. Even Carlsen seemed surprised at how quickly the duel ended. Gukesh still had more time on his clock than he started with — 5 minutes and 10 seconds, while Carlsen had 4 minutes and 45 seconds when the draw was agreed.
Earlier in the tournament’s rapid section, Gukesh stunned the chess world by defeating Carlsen, moving to the top of the leaderboard and drawing praise from none other than Garry Kasparov, who compared playing against the Indian prodigy to facing a computer, saying: “You need to beat him five times in each game.”
However, Gukesh’s fortunes took a downturn once the blitz rounds began. He lost to Carlsen on Saturday during their first blitz matchup. By Sunday’s round 13, the two played to a very quick draw, as Carlsen admitted he was playing in “survival mode,” trying to hustle through his games.
Of his four blitz games on Sunday, Carlsen drew three — against Gukesh, Anish Giri, and Fabiano Caruana — and won one against Alireza Firouzja.
The Gukesh-Carlsen saga in Zagreb may have ended with a whimper, but their rivalry continues to be one of the most thrilling in modern chess.
