Chess World’s Meme Culture: Pentala Harikrishna’s Fist-Smash Parody

The Norway Chess tournament’s dramatic ‘hand-smash’ incident has become a viral sensation, inspiring countless memes. The online humor began with parodies of other board games and expanded to include various comedic takes. Indian Grandmaster Pentala Harikrishna has now added his own contribution, playfully referencing the incident in a FIDE interview. The original incident involved world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen’s reaction after losing to Gukesh, who subsequently became world champion. Harikrishna’s playful imitation is a nod to this memorable moment. Anish Giri also joined the fun by mimicking the fist smash at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Teams Championships. Harikrishna’s teammates recognized his comedic talent and voted him as the best joke-teller on the team.