Gukesh bounces back on 19th birthday with crucial win over Nakamura in Norway Chess

World Champion D Gukesh marked his 19th birthday with a crucial victory over World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura in the third round of Norway Chess 2025 on Thursday, securing his first points of the tournament after two consecutive losses.

The win was a significant turnaround for Gukesh, who entered the round at the bottom of the standings, having lost to both Magnus Carlsen and Arjun Erigaisi in the first two rounds.

"I feel quite good! I think my time management was much better today than before. He had some drawing chances, but I guess overall it was a good game," Gukesh said in a video released by Norway Chess.

The result halts a difficult start for the young champion and brings renewed momentum as the event progresses. When asked about the possibility of Armageddon tie-breakers later in the tournament, Gukesh added, "Yeah, I mean, at some point it will come for sure. But right now, I'm just happy with this."

Earlier in the week, Gukesh was defeated by fellow Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi, who extended his perfect classical record against Gukesh to 6-0. Erigaisi's win came in 62 moves and pushed him into joint leadership alongside Nakamura after the American's Armageddon victory over Carlsen in Round 2.

Gukesh had entered the tournament as the reigning world champion but struggled to find form early on. Thursday’s win not only breaks the losing streak but also puts him back in contention as the six-player round-robin tournament heads into its midpoint.

With a packed leaderboard and more high-stakes games ahead, the pressure remains high, but for Gukesh, the victory on his birthday could be the turning point he needed.