Stavanger, 29 May (H.S.): World champion D. Gukesh marked his 19th birthday with a victory, defeating World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura in Norway Chess, earning his first three points. After suffering defeats against World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and Arjun Erigaisi in earlier rounds, Gukesh succeeded by applying time pressure on Nakamura, winning the game in 42 moves.

Previously facing challenges with time management, Gukesh felt improved in this match, acknowledging Nakamura’s chances to draw but considering his overall performance solid. His victory revitalized his campaign in the six-player tournament.When asked about his readiness for the Armageddon tie-break, Gukesh, strong in classical chess, expressed satisfaction with his recent win, mentioning that the tie-break would inevitably come.

Reflecting on last December's world title victory over Ding Liren, he acknowledged the challenges of his recent losses, viewing today's game as a fresh start. He also admitted that his past time management was clearly horrible, contributing to his improved performance in this match.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar