Carlsen Speaks Out on Defeat to Gukesh in World Chess Championship Opener

In an exclusive interview with the Take Take Take app, four-time World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen discussed his opening match against challenger Gukesh Ding Liren, who surprisingly emerged victorious with a win as White. The Norwegian grandmaster acknowledged that he was aware of Gukesh's pre-game jitters and attributed his own relative composure to the pressure of competing in major championships.

Carlsen recalled his own experience from 2013 when facing Viswanathan Anand in the World Championship, stating that the world championship has a distinct atmosphere. "You feel a different kind of pressure," Carlsen said. "No matter how much people tell you about it, you cannot be completely prepared for it." Furthermore, he believed that Ding Liren demonstrated similar nervousness in his opening match, which paved the way for Gukesh's surprise victory.

The Carlsen acknowledged that Gukesh had not adequately prepared for the French Defense employed by Ding, but commended him on a surprisingly solid overall strategy and mental approach. Gukesh, despite being expected to be shaky at first, proved to be every bit as nervous as suspected, according to Carlsen. "If I hadn't escaped with a draw in my first game against Anand, who knows? History could have been a little bit different."