Magnus Carlsen on taking on Gukesh at GCT Zagreb: I will approach it as if I am playing a weaker player
Magnus Carlsen has said that he will approach his upcoming match against Indian world champion D Gukesh as if he is coming up against ‘one of the presumably weaker players.’
“I think Gukesh played quite well here last time, but it remains to be proven that he’s one of the best players in this format,” said the Norwegian in the buildup to the pair’s showdown at the Global Chess Tour, Rapid and Blitz tournament in Zagreb.
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“We have a very, very strong field…Gukesh hasn’t done anything to [show] that he’s going to do well in such a tournament. I hope, for his sake, that he can do better. But playing him in this tournament, I will approach it as if I’m playing one of the presumably weaker players (in the tournament),” Carlsen further added.
The former world champion also named Alireza Firouzja as a “clear second favourite” in the competition.
Carlsen and Gukesh will meet thrice in Zagreb, once in rapid and twice in blitz. The first of these will be on July 3, marking the first time the two will face after their well-publicised meeting at the 2025 Norway Chess, where the Indian claimed a stunning victory.
