Reigning World Champion D Gukesh Continues Winless Run in Weissenhaus Grand Slam Tour

Reigning world champion D Gukesh’s winless streak continued in Weissenhaus, Germany as he lost the must-win Game 2 of the last eight on Monday. After a tough battle against world No.2 Fabiano Caruana in the first game of the quarterfinals, Gukesh resigned in just 18 moves in a bid to force tie-breaks. Unfortunately, his efforts fell short, and he will now compete for a 5th-8th place classification spot while Caruana advances to the semi-finals.

Gukesh, who had previously lost to Magnus Carlsen and Alireza Firouzja in the rapid round robin section of the tournament, barely made it to the quarterfinals in eighth place. Despite showing unusual calmness with a heart rate of 61 in Game 1 against Caruana, Gukesh was unable to secure a win and ultimately succumbed to defeat in Game 2.

Caruana, who strategically chose Gukesh as his opponent for the quarterfinals, expressed his satisfaction with the outcome. “Gukesh was a bit more of an unknown to me than other players, and I think my decision to pick him paid off,” Caruana stated.

The loss in Game 2 may have been a result of Gukesh’s unsuccessful attempts to create imbalances and pose challenges for Caruana in the previous game. Caruana acknowledged Gukesh’s efforts but noted that the Indian player’s chances of winning were slim.

As the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour continues, fans eagerly await the remaining matches to see who will emerge victorious in this highly competitive tournament. Stay tuned for more updates on this thrilling event.