Updated on: Dec 20, 2025 07:55 pm IST
The Alaskan Knights had other winners too, as Leinier Dominguez Perez beat R Praggnanandhaa. Kateryna Lagno sealed a win against Hou Yifan.
After the win, Gukesh revealed how he overcame his earlier poor results in the competition. The team took a walk down the Marine Drive to calm their nerves.
Speaking to The Indian Express, he said, “After a tough day, it was nice to just forget about chess for a while. We went out together as a team and reminded ourselves that we win and lose as a group. We spoke about different things, relaxed, and I genuinely had a lot of fun.”
“It’s a very special feeling to get my first win. From the start, we felt we were in control, but towards the end, a few things became tricky. When I looked at the other boards, I felt from the start that Lagno and Arjun were going to win, though I didn’t expect Daniel Dardha to lose. Dominguez’s game seemed about evenly poised, so I knew I had to push for a win. By then, I already had good chances, and my opponent was running low on time.”
“The cheering from fans today (before and after the match) was incredibly loud — louder than any other day so far. Seeing so many kids in the crowd really motivated me. I felt I couldn’t afford to play below my level. A lot of coaches had come with their students from different academies. Before the game, Arjun and I even joked that since so many people were here, it was time to start winning,” he added.
