In a gripping encounter at the Tata Steel Chess Masters 2025 in Wijk aan Zee, D Gukesh, the newly crowned World Chess Champion, fought tooth and nail to secure a draw against GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov in Round 6 of the prestigious tournament. Despite being on the back foot for most of the game, Gukesh managed to salvage half a point, extending his streak of surviving difficult positions.
Magnus Carlsen’s Criticism of Gukesh’s Strategy
The match, which lasted over six hours, saw Abdusattorov, in exceptional form, dominating early on with sharp moves. As the game progressed, former World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen, who was providing commentary for Chess24, was vocal in his criticism of Gukesh’s strategy, calling it a “spectacular failure”.
“Gukesh’s strategy has been a spectacular failure,” Carlsen said, referring to the Indian player’s approach to the game. However, the Norwegian was quick to praise Abdusattorov’s performance, stating, “As soon as he gets his chance, he’s ruthless. He calculates perfectly, he feels the momentum, and mentally he’s right there. It’s been very, very impressive!”
Rivalry Adds Drama to the Game
The match had extra layers of tension due to the long-standing rivalry between Gukesh and Abdusattorov. Their rivalry was ignited during the 2022 Chennai Olympiad, where Gukesh’s loss to Abdusattorov cost India a gold medal, with Uzbekistan clinching the top spot instead. The history between the two was palpable in this game, with Abdusattorov staring at Gukesh before making his first move.
Despite Abdusattorov’s early dominance, Gukesh showed incredible resilience, managing to defend and stay in the game. Reflecting on his performance after the game, Gukesh admitted that he had been under pressure throughout the match. “I was under pressure for the whole game, I think I misplayed in the opening. I defended pretty well. I’m sure he had some chances, but it was always finding some tricks to stay in the game,” he said. This was the second time in the tournament that Gukesh had escaped a losing position, the first being his turnaround against Anish Giri in the opening round.
Gukesh’s Respect for Abdusattorov
Despite the pressure, Gukesh spoke highly of Abdusattorov’s playing style: “He’s one of the most promising players in the world right now. I really like how he plays. He always tries to fight, and it’s always exciting to play against these kinds of players.”
Tournament Standings
Although Abdusattorov was disappointed with his inability to convert his advantage into a win, he remains at the top of the leaderboard, tied with GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu. Gukesh, who is just half a point behind, continues to be a strong contender as the tournament enters its final stages.
