Overview

• Magnus Carlsen outmaneuvered D Gukesh in round one to clinch a 55-move classical victory and share the early lead.
• Arjun Erigaisi capitalized on Gukesh’s time pressure in round two to secure a 62-move win and move into first place on 4.5 points.
• Hikaru Nakamura stunned Carlsen in an Armageddon tie-break after their drawn classical game, matching Erigaisi’s 4.5-point tally.
• On his 19th birthday, Gukesh reversed his opening struggles by defeating Nakamura in 42 moves to claim his first three points.
• The six-player double round-robin format awards three points for a classical win and employs Armageddon tie-breaks after draws in both Open and Women’s divisions.