Gukesh, who started as the leader, suffered two defeats to Carlsen. Later, he drew both games with Hikaru Nakamura, missing a chance in a balanced rook endgame. He also lost to Fabiano Caruana, ending the day with a draw. The Indian star admitted he was “not happy” with his performance and aimed to bounce back stronger.

Carlsen, despite two losses to Caruana, now leads with 11.5 points, followed by Caruana with 10.5. Nakamura and Gukesh both trail behind with 7 points each. The event’s scoring system allows for strong comebacks, keeping the competition intense.

The Clutch Chess format, created by Maurice Ashley, rewards increasing points and cash prizes daily. The 18-game rapid event (10 minutes plus 5-second increment) concludes on Day 3, where victories carry triple rewards.

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