Updated December 30th 2025, 10:11 IST

Magnus Carlsen, the world no. 1 and five-time World Chess Champion, has been facing a tough time lately as far as his conduct is concerned. More than his game, it is his behaviour that is keeping the 35-year-old Grandmaster in headlines. A few days back, the Grandmaster was spotted pushing a cameraman away in a fit of rage, and now something similar has happened which adds to a list of moments in which he lost his composure.
India’s Arjun Erigaisi left the world number one stunned as he defeated him in his ninth-round blitz game. The Norwegian Grandmaster did not take the defeat lightly, and he ended up smashing the table as he was visibly frustrated. As soon as the video of the incident surfaced online, fans of the sport started drawing comparisons with a similar incident that happened with Carlsen and Gukesh.
Carlsen going down to an Indian player and slamming the table in frustration is something that has happened for the second time this year, and his meltdowns continue to grab both eyeballs and headlines. The 22-year-old Arjun Erigaisi handed the reigning champion one of the biggest upsets of his career, courtesy of his aggressive style. This is not the first time that Carlsen has lost himself to a moment of madness. Earlier in the same tournament, Carlsen ended up pushing a cameraperson after he ended up losing to Russian Grandmaster Vladislav Artemiev.
Carlsen's moment of rage and him slamming the table hasn't gone down too well with the Netizens, and they have called the Grandmaster out yet again for his conduct.
ALSO READ | American Gambits Confirm Icon Player Hikaru Nakamura's Participation Ahead Of Global Chess League Season 3
Strong endgame technique and quick calculation, Arjun Erigaisi banked on his strengths to bring Carlsen down. The 22-year-old recorded eight wins, two draws, and just one loss, which was enough to put him in pole position. The youngster won with black pieces and later followed it up by registering a convincing win against Uzbek Grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov in Round 10.
Published December 30th 2025, 10:11 IST