Magnus Carlsen has reignited his rivalry with teenage world champion D. Gukesh ahead of their showdown at the SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia 2025, launching a sharp, pointed critique of Gukesh’s prowess in faster formats.
The comments come just a month after Gukesh defeated Carlsen in a dramatic classical game at Norway Chess, a match where the Norwegian, visibly frustrated, infamously slammed the table after letting a winning position slip. That viral moment marked a symbolic shift—Gukesh, just 18, had toppled the titan on his home turf in classical play.
But now the format has changed. The Zagreb leg of the Grand Chess Tour (July 3–6) focuses on rapid and blitz—Carlsen’s long-established domain—where Gukesh still has much to prove. Carlsen’s assertion is clear: Gukesh might be the youngest world champion ever, but in the land of lightning moves and instinctual strikes, he's still an underdog.
Their rematch on July 3 will be the first of three face-offs—one in rapid, two in blitz. For Gukesh, it’s a high-stakes chance to show that his skills transcend formats. For Carlsen, it’s an opportunity to reassert control in a space where he’s long been unrivaled.
Joining them is Praggnanandhaa R, fresh off his Bucharest leg win and among the most dynamic players on the circuit. Carlsen, when asked to name threats, listed Alireza Firouzja as his “clear second favourite,” omitting Gukesh entirely.
In that spirit, Gukesh faces a new kind of opponent—not just Carlsen, but the burden of defending his crown across all formats. The chess world watches closely to see whether the prodigy can hold his own in Carlsen’s arena—or whether the old king still reigns supreme when the clocks tick faster.
