Islamabad, June 21, 2025: In top-level chess, even the best players can face tough moments. Magnus Carlsen, world No. 1 chess player recently shared his feelings after a surprising defeat to India’s 18-year-old World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju at the 2025 Norway Chess tournament.
Carlsen who is known for staying calm even in toughest situations showed rare frustration after losing to Gukesh. He even flipped the table before shaking hands with winner Gukesh. Though he later won the overall tournament, that single defeat clearly affected him a lot more on a deeper level.
Speaking on the show Pardon My Take, Carlsen opened up about how hard the loss hit him. “That was a very painful loss,” he said. “It felt stupid and unnecessary. For a few days, I felt useless and even questioned why I keep doing this.”
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These words gave a rare glimpse into the pressure top chess players face. Even someone as experienced as Carlsen isn’t immune to self-doubt. Still, Carlsen made a strong comeback. In the final round, he used a mistake by Gukesh and finished just ahead of Fabiano Caruana. Carlsen scored 16 points, Caruana had 15.5, and Gukesh ended with 14.5.
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Despite leaving the World Championship cycle, Carlsen’s win at Norway Chess showed he’s still one of the strongest players in the world. His honest words and quick recovery reminded fans that behind the titles and trophies, even champions have to fight through tough moments, just like everyone else.
