Pressure Mounts on World Chess Champion D Gukesh After Poor Freestyle Chess Showing

The pressure is mounting on reigning World Chess Champion D Gukesh after a disappointing performance at the Paris Grand Slam event, where he failed to qualify for the knockouts. This comes after a winless run in Weissenhaus, where he finished in eighth place. The 18-year-old made history by becoming the youngest World Chess Champion last year after defeating Ding Liren in Singapore.

Criticism from top players like Magnus Carlsen and Vladimir Kramnik followed Gukesh’s victory over Liren, with accusations of lacking quality. However, Gukesh silenced his critics with a strong showing at the Tata Masters in Wijk aan Zee, finishing in second place. While his classical chess form has been impressive, his performance in Chess960 has been lackluster.

Following his performance in Paris, Gukesh faced criticism from former Carlsen second Jon Ludvig Hammer, who questioned his ability to hold onto the title. In response, Indian GM Srinath Narayanan defended Gukesh, stating that he is universally accepted as the world champion and does not need to prove anything to anyone.

Narayanan also cautioned Gukesh about the challenges ahead in defending his title, noting that competition from his compatriots in India or his age group could pose a threat. Gukesh is set to face Magnus Carlsen in the upcoming Norway Chess tournament in May, which will be played in the classical format.

As the chess world eagerly awaits the showdown between Gukesh and Carlsen, the young champion will need to focus on improving his game and maintaining his title against a competitive field of challengers.