Magnus Carlsen criticizes the world champion as he avoids defeat against Abdusattorov, calling Gukesh's tactic a catastrophic failure.

Magnus Carlsen, a former world champion, called D Gukesh's tactic versus Abdusattorov at the Tata Steel Chess Masters a "spectacular failure."

In round 6 of the Tata Steel Chess Masters 2025 at Wijk aan Zee in the Netherlands, Gukesh Dommaraju, the recently crowned world chess champion, salvaged a draw against his fierce opponent, GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov, in an intense match that lasted more than six hours. Gukesh continued his remarkable run of surviving challenging positions by battling back to secure half a point despite Abdusattorov's commanding position for the whole of the match.

Abdusattorov, who has been playing brilliantly throughout the tournament, took the lead early in the eagerly awaited match with a string of deft moves. Former world champion Magnus Carlsen once called Gukesh's tactic a "spectacular failure" while commentating for Chess24. Carlsen declared, "Gukesh's strategy has been a spectacular failure."

But Carlsen was eager to commend Abdusattorov for his accuracy. "He is vicious as soon as he has the opportunity. He feels the momentum, does flawless calculations, and is psychologically present. "It's been absolutely amazing!" exclaimed the Norwegian, who has won the title eight times in a row.

The rivalry between the two young grandmasters, which began at the 2022 Chennai Olympiad, increased the intensity of the match. Gukesh's defeat by Abdusattorov had essentially ended India's chances of winning a gold medal in that competition, as the Uzbek team took first place. Their encounter at Wijk aan Zee was made more dramatic by their past, as Abdusattorov glared at Gukesh before initiating contact.

Gukesh, who recently overtook fellow countryman Arjun Erigiasi to become the fourth-ranked Indian chess player in the most current FIDE rankings, managed to maintain the game despite being under pressure for the whole of the encounter. After the game, Gukesh reflected on his performance and admitted to having early difficulties. "I believe I made a mistake in the opener, and I was under pressure the entire time. I made a strong defense. He must have had some opportunities, but he was constantly coming up with new methods to stay in the game," he remarked. Gukesh has come back from a losing position with a draw for the second time in the tournament.having overcome a difficult match against Anish Giri in the first round.

Regarding his opponent, Gukesh said he respected Abdusattorov's style of play. He is currently among the most promising athletes in the world. His playing definitely appeals to me. It's always thrilling to play against players like him, and he constantly tries to fight.

Abdusattorov is still ahead, tied with GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, despite his dissatisfaction at not converting his advantage. As the event moves into its closing stages, Gukesh is still a serious contender, behind by barely half a point.