Gukesh’s Streak of Misfortune Continues at Prague International Chess Festival

Gukesh’s Heartbreak Continues at Prague International Chess Festival

Prague, March 2, 2026 — Indian chess prodigy D. Gukesh faced yet another setback at the Prague International Chess Festival, succumbing to his nemesis Nodirbek Abdusattorov for the second time in a month. Despite holding a promising position for much of the game, Gukesh’s blunders in critical moments led to a heartbreaking defeat, marking the fifth consecutive day of disappointment for the World Champion.

In a match that showcased Gukesh’s strategic prowess, the young talent employed a new approach as Black, putting pressure on Abdusattorov’s king early on. The Indian’s aggressive play created significant weaknesses in his opponent’s position, prompting computer analysis to suggest he was on the verge of securing his first victory in the Masters section of the tournament.

However, as the clock ticked down, Gukesh faltered during the first time-control, allowing Abdusattorov to capitalize on the opportunity. A final blunder from Gukesh allowed the Uzbek Grandmaster to advance his pawn, sealing the match in his favor.

While Gukesh’s fortunes dwindled, Dutch Grandmaster Jorden van Foreest continued his impressive run, climbing to 11th in the world rankings after securing his fourth victory in five games. Van Foreest’s opponent, Hans Moke Niemann of the United States, made a critical error that proved decisive in the match.

The day’s round-robin tournament featured all decisive games, with defending champion Aravindh Chithambaram suffering his third defeat, this time against Spain’s David Anton Guijarro. Local favorite David Navara delivered a standout performance, grinding down Uzbek player Nodirbek Yakubboev in what many are calling the game of the day. Iranian Grandmaster Parham Maghsoodloo also triumphed over Germany’s Vincent Keymer.

As the tournament progresses, Van Foreest leads with four points, closely followed by Abdusattorov and Navara, who are just half a point behind. Guijarro occupies the fourth spot with three points, while Gukesh, Chithambaram, and Niemann find themselves at the bottom of the leaderboard with only 1.5 points each.

In the challengers’ section, World Women’s Cup winner Divya Deshmukh celebrated her first victory against fellow Indian Surya Shekhar Ganguly, bringing her score to a respectable 50%. Czech player Finek Vanclav continues to dominate this section with four points.

As Gukesh and his fellow competitors regroup for the next round, the chess world watches closely, hoping for a turnaround in fortunes for the young Indian star.