A silent moment between two chess giants has stirred anticipation ahead of the Grand Chess Tour rapid and blitz tournament in Croatia’s capital. A now-viral video capturing the handshake between reigning world champion D Gukesh and former champion Magnus Carlsen has become the symbolic prelude to one of chess’s most anticipated rivalries.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!In the video, shared by the official Grand Chess Tour handle, Carlsen is seen cheerfully interacting with fans – signing autographs and posing for selfies – when Gukesh, unnoticed, quietly takes the seat beside him. The Norwegian Grandmaster turns, sees the young champion, and offers a handshake. No words were exchanged – just a soft smile and a shared nod of respect.
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The subtle visual spoke volumes. This is the same Carlsen who, in a rare display of emotion, thumped the board after losing to Gukesh in their classical encounter earlier this year. That defeat – and the growing narrative around Gukesh’s rise – has only added fuel to what is fast becoming a generational duel.WATCH:Carlsen and Gukesh will face each other once again this week in Zagreb, playing one rapid and two blitz games as part of the Grand Chess Tour’s third edition. While Carlsen is a titan of the faster formats, Gukesh is still refining his skills in rapid and blitz — a gap the 19-year-old world champion is eager to close.Beyond the marquee matchup, India’s R Praggnanandhaa, along with top stars Fabiano Caruana, Alireza Firouzja, and Nodirbek Abdusattarov, will challenge for top honours. The brainchild of Garry Kasparov, the Grand Chess Tour continues to carry forward the vision of making chess a true spectator sport.For Gukesh, adapting to speed chess is no longer optional – it’s the next test of a champion.
