Chess
Magnus Carlsen wanted to prove a point against Gukesh, says Caruana
Fabiano Caruana believes Magnus Carlsen was out to make a statement by dominating world champion D Gukesh at Norway Chess 2025.
Magnus Carlsen captured his record seventh title at the prestigious Norway Chess tournament. (Photo credit: Norway Chess)
Magnus Carlsen may have walked into Norway Chess 2025 with more than just tournament points on his mind.
According to fellow elite Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana, the five-time world champion had a clear goal — to establish dominance over newly crowned world champion D Gukesh, and send a message that the Indian teenager still had a long way to go.
But instead of asserting superiority, Carlsen ended up suffering his first-ever classical defeat to Gukesh — a result that not only shocked the chess world but possibly disrupted Carlsen’s plans, Caruana claimed in a recent episode of the C Squared Podcast.
“Magnus definitely wanted to win (against Gukesh) to prove a point — not just that he’s stronger than Gukesh, but that Gukesh isn’t even as strong as other top players,” Caruana said. “He wanted to dominate him. That was the message he was trying to send.”
The two players faced each other twice in Stavanger, with Carlsen winning the first round but Gukesh stunning him in the reverse fixture. That second loss hit hard, as captured by a viral clip of Carlsen smashing his fist on the table — a rare public show of emotion from the Norwegian legend.
This was their first classical meeting since Gukesh’s ascent to the world title, and it seemed to carry more personal weight than a typical matchup.
Caruana, who finished second in the tournament, suggested Carlsen wasn’t as emotionally invested in matches against others. “He wouldn’t care as much about beating Arjun (Erigaisi), for example,” Caruana said. “But Gukesh is the world champion. That matters. That gives the game more significance.”
He also noted that Carlsen likely sees value in beating players like Hikaru Nakamura or even himself, but not necessarily in every opponent. “With Gukesh, there was something to prove,” Caruana added.
The Norway Chess 2025 event turned into a dramatic storyline, with Gukesh’s victory over Carlsen making headlines globally.
The win was Gukesh’s first classical triumph over the Norwegian, and it came at a moment when Carlsen was aiming to reassert his presence in a changing chess landscape.
