Chess legend Magnus Carlsen has weighed in on Gukesh Dommaraju’s decision to resign after just 18 moves in the second game of his quarter-final clash against Fabiano Caruana at Weissenhaus. Carlsen called the decision “prudent”, acknowledging that the 18-year-old had little to no chance of staging a comeback.
Carlsen’s Take on Gukesh’s Resignation
Speaking to Take Take Take, Carlsen explained that short mini-matches in knockout tournaments hinge on a single game and that Gukesh had effectively lost his opportunity to turn things around after the first game.
“Yesterday’s game could have gone either way, and today, of course, it was never very likely that Gukesh was going to come back. Honestly, I think he made a kind of prudent decision just resigning when he realized that he was not going to make a comeback,” said Carlsen.
He further stated that the best course of action for Gukesh was to view the event as a learning experience and move on.
Gukesh’s Struggles at Weissenhaus
Despite being the youngest World Chess Champion in history, Gukesh has struggled in the Weissenhaus tournament. He lost to Alireza Firouzja and Magnus Carlsen in the rapid section that determined seeding for the knockout phase. He barely made it into the quarter-finals in 8th place and subsequently lost both his games to Fabiano Caruana in the classical format.
Gukesh’s Calm Under Pressure
One of the most striking aspects of Gukesh’s performance was his composure under extreme time pressure. In the first quarter-final game against Caruana, he was down to just one second on his clock in a completely losing position in the endgame. Despite the intense situation, his heart rate was reportedly only 78 beats per minute—a testament to his nerves of steel and mental fortitude.
Experts analyzing Gukesh’s psychological resilience have pointed out that his mental preparation and ability to stay composed under pressure are exceptional, even if the results at Weissenhaus have not gone in his favor.
Carlsen Advances to the Semi-Finals
Meanwhile, Magnus Carlsen secured a place in the semi-finals, defeating Nodirbek Abdusattorov while playing Black. Carlsen expressed satisfaction with his game and reflected on the experience of playing classical chess again.
“I’m feeling really good. I was a little bit apprehensive going into the game today because I wasn’t feeling as fresh as the other days. But honestly, playing was a lot of fun. It was a really interesting position from the opening, and I just had a very good time today. I felt very calm, and it was good to play some classical.”
Other Quarter-Final Results
The quarter-final stage saw some decisive results:
- Magnus Carlsen, Vincent Keymer, and Fabiano Caruana won their matches without needing a tiebreak.
- Javokhir Sindarov defeated Hikaru Nakamura in a thrilling playoff to book his place in the semi-finals.
Upcoming Semi-Finals Matchups
With the quarter-finals concluded, the semi-finals are set to feature some high-profile clashes:
- Vincent Keymer vs. Magnus Carlsen
- Javokhir Sindarov vs. Fabiano Caruana
The matches will be played on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the winners progressing to the final.
Despite a disappointing exit for Gukesh Dommaraju, his mental resilience and calmness under pressure have impressed the chess community. Magnus Carlsen’s endorsement of Gukesh’s resignation decision underscores the brutal nature of high-level knockout chess, where a single slip can decide an entire match.With Carlsen, Caruana, Keymer, and Sindarov battling for a place in the final, chess fans can expect some thrilling encounters in the upcoming days.
