Carlsen, 34, experienced his defeat against 19-year-old Gukesh in Round 6. He expressed his frustration by striking the table, causing the pieces to scatter.
His demeanor reflected disbelief and frustration as he shook hands with Gukesh, before reassembling the pieces on the board and departing, giving a pat to the winner.
“I think back to when I was that age, and sometimes the energy, the fighting spirit, and optimism can sometimes outweigh the quality of your moves,” Carlsen remarked on Monday.
However, the Norwegian appeared more composed after securing the Armageddon tie-break against American World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura, yet traces of Sunday’s events were still evident on his face.
“For much of the game, Gukesh was essentially pushing without a clear plan. On a normal day, of course, I would win that match, and things would look quite different,” the five-time world champion added.
Carlsen commended Gukesh’s tenacity, noting that the Indian player consistently capitalized on opportunities, which he did despite facing a disadvantage for most of the Round 6 match.
“What Gukesh does exceptionally well, as I mentioned, is he fights fiercely, seizing his chances, so he deserves recognition for that.
“However, that’s the kind of opportunity that I definitely need to eliminate. Otherwise, I have no chance,” remarked the Norwegian world No. 1.
Carlsen also suggested he might reconsider his participation in next year’s Norway Chess.
“I believe I will play the last three games at Norway Chess, and then I will need to make decisions regarding next year or other tournaments because, honestly… I don’t find Classical chess enjoyable anymore,” Carlsen stated.
He hinted that he might be moving away from Classical chess.
“That’s possible. I’m not saying I will never compete in Classical events again, but at this moment, it doesn’t seem appealing,” Carlsen responded when asked about focusing more on Freestyle or blitz chess in the future.
“The truth is, losses hurt regardless, but at least if I lose while doing something I truly enjoy (like Blitz, Rapid, or Freestyle), it’s much easier to handle.
“It’s not that I’m incapable of playing Classical chess; it’s just situations like yesterday’s loss to Gukesh make me question my motivations. What’s the point?” he reflected. “I will give my best in the final three games here, and then we’ll see. There’s a lot of struggle in being a top athlete,” he added.
“I would have preferred a different scenario in the tournament, but I felt no inclination to compete in classical today,” he noted.
Carlsen and Nakamura reached a swift 21-move draw in Round 7 to proceed to the Armageddon tie-break, which the Norwegian won convincingly.
“Winning the Armageddon was really the best outcome for me, and I was able to achieve that, so I’m pleased.
“There were several appealing options in the Armageddon, but suddenly I spotted that one move. It may have been seen before, but I wasn’t certain,” Carlsen added.
On turning his focus to golf, one of his other passions, Carlsen said, “Yeah, honestly, it’s beneficial to engage in something that takes my mind off the games. Since the games start at 5 PM (in Norway Chess), I have time to enjoy that and share lunch with my wife, which is nice,” Carlsen concluded.
