Magnus Carlsen is back with his table slam. After an infamous incident earlier this year against India’s D. Gukesh in Norway, Carlsen slammed the chessboard once again, this time after losing to another Indian, Arjun Erigaisi, at the World Blitz Championship in Doha.
In one of the biggest upsets of the World Blitz Championship, Arjun defeated defending title holder Carlsen in the ninth round, with the Norwegian losing on time.
Heading into the ninth round, Arjun and Carlsen were joint leaders along with four other players, all on 6.5 points each. With his win over the Norwegian maestro, Arjun reached 7.5 points after nine rounds and is now tied for first place with Uzbekistan’s No. 1, Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
What makes Arjun’s feat even more special is that he beat Carlsen with the black pieces. Carlsen opened with e4, c5, and Nf3, choosing the French Variation of the Sicilian Defense against Arjun. However, things began to turn against him after his bishop retreated to c2 and his knight developed to d2. This allowed Arjun to capture Carlsen’s white pawn on b2, going a pawn up. Although Carlsen eventually won his pawn back, the position by then was heavily skewed in the Indian’s favour.
Oops!…He Did It Again#RapidBlitz pic.twitter.com/O5N5CWoO2f
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) December 29, 2025
Under the heightened time pressure of the blitz format, Carlsen defended resourcefully but ultimately lost on time that sparked his dramatic reaction.
Earlier, he was seen losing his temper during the rapid segment as well.
That incident occurred after Carlsen was outplayed by Russian grandmaster Vladislav Artemiev in the seventh round of the rapid section, marking Carlsen’s first loss of the event. Following the defeat, the Norwegian shook hands to concede, grabbed his blazer, and began storming off. As he walked away, a FIDE photographer approached for a close-up shot. Just as the photographer neared him, Carlsen angrily shoved the camera aside and exited the playing hall.
Carlsen is known for reactions that often stir the sporting world. One strong emotional outburst—when he smashed his fist on the table after losing to Gukesh—is a prime example. That incident made global headlines and became one of the most memed and parodied moments in the sport. Carlsen was livid because he had lost a winning position in just a couple of moves to the 19-year-old from India, who now occupies the world champion’s throne that Carlsen willingly vacated two years ago.
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Earlier in the tournament, a defensive masterclass from Arjun had kept Carlsen at bay, forcing the Norwegian to split the point in their rapid game.
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