Clutch Chess 2025 R1-3: World Champion Gukesh makes a great start, beats Caruana twice
The World Champion continues his momentum from 40th European Chess Club Cup 2025 double Gold triumph. Straight from Rhodes, Greece, he travelled to Saint Louis, Missouri in USA for Clutch Chess Champions Showdown 2025. He played a great game against the World no.1, Magnus Carlsen. However, he could not find the perfect defence in an extremely complex position with only 14 seconds left on the clock. He resigned like a gentleman instead of letting his clock run out. In the second game, Gukesh drew against Carlsen. Then he defeated Hikaru Nakamura in Round 2 with a great display of his positional understanding. Their second game was an uneventful draw. In the third round, Gukesh defeated Fabiano Caruana in both games to grab an early lead 4/6. Carlsen is breathing down his neck at 3.5/6, followed by Nakamura 3/6 and Caruana 1.5/6. Three more rounds, six games will be played today starting from 12 p.m. local time, 10:30 p.m. IST. Photos: Aditya Sur Roy
Gukesh shakes off his jetlag quickly to gain early sole lead
The World Champion, D Gukesh adapted to the Rapid format very well after having a successful Classical event for his team SuperChess. He won double Gold in that event and played a key role for his team's triumph. Gukesh suffered only one loss against Magnus Carlsen. However, when it comes to the quality of the chess, he played well, except when he was low on time. All chess players' accuracy goes haywire in time trouble. Hikaru Nakamura was the sole person who managed to beat Magnus Carlsen. Actually, Fabiano Caruana had great chances to win against Carlsen in both games but he missed on both occasion. All four of them lost at least one game each, Caruana lost the maximum among them - four in the first three rounds.
Round 1 Game 1: Gukesh - Carlsen: 0-1
World Champion, GM D Gukesh (2693) has played three Rapid rated games against the World no.1, GM Magnus Carlsen (NOR, 2808) before this battle. They had all three results. Gukesh won their last game a few months ago in Zagreb, Croatia. In the first game, Gukesh resigned in a position where he could have continued. However, he had only 14 seconds left, so it was excruciatingly difficult to precise the defense in such a short time.
White could have continued 35.Ne3! Nxd3 36.Rxa1 Qc8 37.Nxd5 Qa8 38.Nc7 Qf3 39.a7 Qxf2+ 40.Kh1 and the game goes on. Of course, the World Champion would have found this if he had enough time to think, unfortunately he did not and he had to resign like a gentleman instead of letting his time run out.
Their second game was a relatively tepid draw.
Carlsen - Caruana, Round 2 Game 1
Caruana needed to trade the queens and the resultant knight endgame is winning for him due to the extra passed pawn on the g-file. Of course the conversion of his advantage would not been easy but still easier than keeping the queens on the board and attempt to win the game. 45...gxf2 46.Qxf2 Qg4+?! instead 46...Qxf2+ 47.Kxf2 Kh6 would have been a path towards victory.
Round 2 Game 1: Nakamura - Gukesh: 0-1
GM Hikaru Nakamura (USA, 2737) and GM D Gukesh (2693) have played only one Rapid rated game back in 2022. It ended in a draw.
Black got a firm grip on the position. The bishop on d3 is completely suffocating White's pieces. The World Champion converted his positional advantage beautifully to win the game.
Caruana - Carlsen, Round 2 Game 2
29...g3+? was not a good idea. 30.Rxg3 N4h5 31.Qe2 Nxg3 32.Qxd1 Ngxe4? 33.Qc2 Qd7?? 34.Ng3+- Qg4 35.Nd2 would have won the knight and the game probably. However, Caruana for the second time on the same day missed his winning chances against Carlsen as he played 35.Nxe5? Caruana eventually blundered and lost the game.
The second game between Gukesh and Nakamura was an uneventful draw as only one minor piece got exchanged throughout the game.
Round 3 Game 1: Caruana - Gukesh: 0-1
GM Fabiano Caruana (USA, 2767) and the World Champion, GM D Gukesh (2693) have two wins a piece against each other in Rapid rated games. This year, Gukesh has won Rapid games earlier in Zagreb, Croatia and Saint Louis, Missouri, part of Grand Chess Tour. He continued his momentum and repeated the same result.
21...Rxe4 was a good practical attempt as it worked out. 22.Bxg4 Qxg4 23.Qxe4 Qh3+ 24.Kg1 d3+ 25.c5?? White needed to play 25.Nd4 d5 26.cxd5 d2 27.Nxd2 Bxd4+ 28.Qxd4 Qxg3+ 29.Kh1 Qh3+ and allowed a draw via perpetual check. Instead, 25.c5?? dxe2-+ 26.Qxe2 dxc5 27.Qg2 cxb4+ 28.Rf2 Qe6 and Black eventually went on to win the game.
Carlsen - Nakamura, Round 3 Game 1
Carlsen's ambitious approach 27.g5? did not work out hxg5 28.Bxf6 Qxf6-+ 29.Re5 Bb5 30.Rd1 gxf4 31.Nh5 Qh6 32.Qf3 Be8 33.Kh1 Bg6 34.Qg4 and Black won the game.
Gukesh - Caruana, Round 3 Game 2
In an already dwindling position, Caruana blundered 30...Rxd5?? and worsened things. 31.Kh1+- Bb7 32.Rcg1 Nxb5 33.Bxf6!! Bxf6 34.Qxf4 Bg5 35.Rxg5 Qd8 36.Rg8+ and checkmate is inevitable in the next move.
For more photos, please click at the following links - part 1 and 2.
Video Gallery
Schedule
Three rounds will be played each day on 27th, 28th and 29th October from 12 p.m. local time, 10:30 p.m. IST.
Watch live stream
Replay all games
Standings after Round 3
Links
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Clutch Chess 2025 R4-6: Carlsen soars to the top despite two losses against Caruana
@ 29/10/2025 by Shahid Ahmed (en) |
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Carlsen, Nakamura, Caruana and Gukesh set to clash at Clutch Chess Champions Showdown 2025 starting today
@ 27/10/2025 by Shahid Ahmed (en) |