Gukesh hits bottom as Carlsen storms back to lead Clutch Chess Champions Showdown 2025: ‘I just wasn't sharp enough’

Magnus Carlsen replaced world champion D Gukesh as he stormed to the top of the standings on Day 2 of the Clutch Chess Champions Showdown 2025, the highest-rated tournament of the year, on Tuesday. Gukesh went from the top to the bottom on the second day of competition, with just three more rounds to go.

Gukesh had taken the lead after Day 1 with four out of six points, beating Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana after an opening defeat to Carlsen. The 19-year-old chess star from India had a similar start on Day 2 as Gukesh lost both his games to Carlsen in Round 4 to kick off things at the Saint Louis Chess Club on Tuesday.

Gukesh loses composure, drops to bottom

Gukesh recovered momentarily after playing out two draws against Nakamura in Round 5, but was forced to the last spot after losing to Caruana in the first game of Round 6 before holding the American Grandmaster to a draw in the last game of the day.

“Obviously not a good day for me, but we can see all the fluctuations, as it was two points per game, a lot of stuff going on. But yeah, not exactly happy with my play today,” Gukesh admitted while reflecting on a poor outing.

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Asked if the increasing point system has had him rattled on Day 2, Gukesh said: “Not that much. I just wasn’t able to be sharp enough today; I was taking too much time, which I shouldn’t have.”

The Chennai lad added that he wouldn’t want to quickly move from the defeats and come back with renewed energy on the last day of the competition. “Prepare as well as I can. Get enough rest. Forget what happened and come fresh tomorrow,” he signed off.

Carlsen takes the lead, but Caruana impresses

Meanwhile, Carlsen was helped by the fact that a win was worth two points on Day 2 as compared to one point on the opening day. After earning four points against Gukesh in two games of Round 4, Carlsen suffered back-to-back defeats to Caruana. The Norwegian, however, had the last laugh on Day 2 as he beat Nakamura in consecutive games and took the lead with 11.5 points.

But Carlsen wasn’t happy with how he had performed so far, admitting that he was not having enough control in the rapid games.

“I was better than yesterday, but I mean I would like to have a little bit more control in my games than I did today, but you know, I’ll take the result of course,” Carlsen told the Saint Louis Chess Club YouTube channel.

Also, while the 34-year-old has the lead, Caruana was the best player of the day, clinching nine points and jumping from the bottom to the second spot in the standings. He currently has 10.5 points, followed by Nakamura at third (7).

“Yesterday was a pretty terrible day, but luckily I had my really terrible day on the first day, when it doesn’t matter as much,” Caruana said after Day 2.

Gukesh also has seven points, but he is at the bottom, having secured the least amount of wins among the four participants.