Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T Challenge: D. Gukesh's sensational victory over Magnus Carlsen and Ding Liren, takes second place in the tournament standings

Indian chess player D. Gukesh defeated world number one Magnus Carlsen and current world champion Ding Liren in the playoff round of the Weissenhaus Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T Challenge on Friday.

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After losing to France's Alireza Firouzja in the first round, Indian GM Gukesh made a comeback to defeat Carlsen in the second round of the Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T Challenge. After this, Gukesh defeated Levon Aronian of USA in the third round and current world champion Ding Liren of China in the fourth round and finished joint second with Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan with 3.0/4.

Local player Vincent Keymer is the sole leader with 3.5 points through four rounds, while Carlsen is fifth in the field of eight players.

Gukesh's notable achievements include his victory over two-time World Cup winner Aronian of the USA, showcasing his extraordinary talent and strategic skills on the chess board. Despite being a newcomer to the elite Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T Challenge events known as Fischer Random Chess or Chess 960, Gukesh has already left an indelible mark with his stellar performances.

Gukesh, currently ranked second in the Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T Challenge tournament standings, has emerged as a strong contender, trailing behind German Grandmaster Vincent Keymer. Featuring a lineup hand-picked by Magnus Carlsen himself, the tournament includes top players such as Fabiano Caruana (USA), Ding Liren (CHN), Alireza Firouzja (FRA), Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB), Vincent Keymer (GER) and Levon Aronian (USA).

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Gukesh's success at the Weissenhaus Freestyle Chess G.O.A.T Challenge is an important milestone in his chess career, especially after his recent impressive performance at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament while the playing format in the freestyle chess event is quite different from traditional chess. What is different, Gukesh's ability to adapt and thrive in diverse environments underlines his extraordinary talent and potential.