Super United Rapid and Blitz Croatia: In the Super United Rapid and Blitz Croatia 2025 tournament held at Jagreb, Indian chess star D Gukesh made headlines with great performance. World champion Gukesh won a single lead in the tournament by defeating world number one player Magnus Carlson in the Rapid category, but lost to R Pragnananda in the Blitz category, due to which he lagged behind Carlson. The tournament proved to be a roller-coaster ride for Gukesh, where he proved his reign in the rapid, but lost in Blitz.

Gukesh defeated Carlson in Rapid

D Gukesh performed brilliantly in the Rapid category of Super United Rapid and Blitz Croatia 2025. In the sixth round, he defeated Norway’s legend Magnus Carlson to register his fifth consecutive win in the tournament. With this victory, Gukesh went ahead with 10 points out of 12, while Carlson was far behind with 6 points. Gukesh expressed happiness over his victory and said, "It is always special to defeat Magnus and it increases confidence. My start was very bad, but I am happy with victory." 

Praganananda defeated Gukesh in Blitz

After a brilliant performance in the rapid, D Gukesh’s journey in the Blitz class was not as easy. Gukesh suffered defeat in the match against R Pragnananda. This necklace was a shock for Gukesh, as it put him back from Carlson in the tournament. Pragnananda put the right mind under time pressure and defeated Gukesh in decisive tricks. This victory of Pragnananda once again proved that Indian chess players are not only able to compete globally, but also present a tough challenge against each other. The match between Gukesh and Pragnananda was a very exciting moment for chess fans, which shows the talent of the new generation of Indian chess.

Gukesh’s performance in the tournament

Gukesh has introduced his great form in this tournament, but the defeat against Pragnananda in Blitz has created a new challenge for him. Chess lovers are now eyeing the remaining matches, where Gukesh has a golden opportunity to win the title.

Carlson’s response 

Magnus Carlson, who is known for his calm and confident image, did not give any specific response after defeat to D Gukesh. He shook hands with Gukesh without showing any kind of feeling and quietly left the field. This necklace was another shock for Carlson, as Gukesh had earlier defeated him in the Norway Chess tournament. This victory of Gukesh in the area of ​​chess and his defeat against Pragnananda remains the subject of discussion. This performance of Indian players not only reflects their personal skills, but also highlights India’s chess power on the global stage.