Gukesh Faces Tough Times at FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament
World champion D. Gukesh experienced his third consecutive loss at the FIDE Grand Swiss tournament on Thursday, September 11. The young Indian Grandmaster fell to 16-year-old Turkish player Ediz Gurel in the seventh round. Previously, he had lost matches to American player Abhimanyu Mishra and Greece’s Nikolas Theodorou. Despite having a day off to regroup, Gukesh made a crucial mistake in the endgame which cost him dear.
At just 19 years old, Gukesh has three points from seven games and is now in a position where he must win all his upcoming matches to stay competitive. This recent downturn has raised concerns among fans and commentators alike. Notably, former player Maurice Ashley took to social media to express his worries, stating that this wasn’t the talented Gukesh the chess community had come to know.
Usually known for taking games deep and outsmarting his opponents with calmness, Gukesh’s recent performances have been far from his best. After the latest loss, Gukesh appeared visibly upset, and earlier in the tournament, he even left the playing hall in frustration.
However, many supporters came to his side, reminding everyone that at just 19, Gukesh is still on a path of growth and learning. One fan noted, “Gukesh is doing exactly what any ambitious 19-year-old should be doing — playing constantly and aiming for victories. A dip in form shouldn’t be surprising, especially since he’s still young and focused on improvement.”
Highlights from the Swiss Grand Tournament
In the rest of the tournament, fellow Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin surged to a share of the lead after a thrilling win over Parham Maghsoodloo from Iran, and he’s now tied with German player Matthias Bluebaum who won against Arjun Erigaisi. Both have earned 5.5 points.
Seven players, including Vidit Gujrathi, Iranian-French star Alireza Firouzja, and Americans Hans Niemann and Abhimanyu Mishra, are closely following, each with five points after winning their latest matches.
R. Praggnanandhaa claimed victory against Israeli GM Maxim Rodshtein and now has 4.5 points, joining ten other players in a competitive position.
In the women’s section, defending champion Vaishali Rameshbabu took the solo lead by defeating Chinese IM Guo Qi for her fifth victory of the tournament. GM Divya Deshmukh also celebrated a win.
The top two players from each section will secure a spot in the 2026 Candidates tournament, where they’ll compete to become the next challenger for the World Championship titles for both men and women.
