After a sensational victory over world number one Magnus Carlsen, Indian chess prodigy D Gukesh suffered a major setback at the hands of American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura in Round 8 of Norway Chess 2025. The reigning world champion was outclassed in a four-hour-long classical game where Nakamura capitalized on an early advantage to secure a smooth win and claim three full points. This defeat ends Gukesh’s impressive run of back-to-back classical wins and drops him into a shared third place with Nakamura at 11.5 points.
Gukesh, just 19, had turned heads by defeating both Carlsen and fellow Indian Arjun Erigaisi in earlier rounds. However, Nakamura, who lost to Gukesh in Round 3, delivered a precise and calculated performance with white pieces. The American GM later stated that Gukesh appeared uncomfortable with his pawn structure early on, which led to time pressure and eventually a decisive loss. Nakamura also questioned the overall quality of Gukesh's play in the tournament, calling it inconsistent but applauding his mental strength and defensive skills that kept him competitive despite difficult positions.
India’s chess presence continues to grow on the global stage. Arjun Erigaisi defeated Fabiano Caruana in a tactical time scramble, moving closer to the tournament leaders. In the women's event, Koneru Humpy regained her lead by winning the only classical game of the day, beating Spain’s Sara Khadem. Humpy now leads with 13.5 points, ahead of world champion Ju Wenjun of China, who was held in an Armageddon tiebreak by India’s R. Vaishali.
Hikaru Nakamura, possibly playing his final Norway Chess edition, praised India's rising dominance in chess, calling the country the "new Soviet Union" of the game. With names like Gukesh, Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa, Vaishali, and Humpy making headlines globally, India’s emergence as a chess superpower appears to be just beginning.
