Prague Chess Festival Round 4: Gukesh and Divya Held to Draws, Aravindh Faces Defeat
Gukesh and Deshmukh Held to Draws in Prague Chess Festival
Prague, March 1, 2026 — The Prague International Chess Festival witnessed a series of intense matchups as reigning World Champion D Gukesh and rising star Divya Deshmukh both settled for draws in Round 4 of the tournament. Gukesh faced off against local favorite David Navarra, while Deshmukh played to a stalemate against Czech player Vaclav Finek.
In the Challengers section, Suriya Sekhar Ganguly and Stephen Hrbek also shared the spoils, reflecting the competitive spirit of the event.
Despite his status as world champion, Gukesh has struggled to find his winning form since claiming the title last year. His draw against Navarra marks another missed opportunity to regain momentum in the tournament. Meanwhile, Aravindh Chidambaram faced a setback, succumbing to German player Vincent Keymer.
The Challengers category saw some exciting action as well. Hungarian Benjamin Gledura triumphed over Danish competitor Jonas Buhl Bejjerie, while Czechia’s Jachym Nemec secured a victory against Dutchman Thomas Beerdsen. Spain’s Danil Yuffa also made headlines by defeating China’s Jiner Zhu.
In the Masters section, American Hans Niemann and Iranian Parham Maghsoodloo played to a draw, while Spaniard David Anton Guijaro and Uzbekistan’s Nordibek Abdusattor also shared points. However, it was Dutchman Jorden Van Foreest who shone brightly, defeating Nordibek Yakuboev.
The previous day had been challenging for Gukesh and Deshmukh, both suffering defeats in Round 3. Gukesh lost to Van Foreest, while Deshmukh fell to Zhu Jiner.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Gukesh and Deshmukh to see if they can turn their fortunes around in the upcoming rounds. The Prague Chess Festival continues to showcase the best of international chess, with thrilling matches and unexpected outcomes keeping fans on the edge of their seats.
Stay tuned for more updates as the tournament unfolds!