D Gukesh gears up for redemption in Paris leg of Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour

D Gukesh, the youngest-ever world chess champion, faced a rocky start in the opening leg of the 2025 Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour last February. Despite struggling to match the pace of the unique format, the 18-year-old managed 11 draws, six defeats, and no wins, finishing eighth overall and earning just USD 20,000 from the grand USD 750,000 prize pool.

However, as the reigning World chess champion, Gukesh is eligible to participate in all legs of the tour. Despite questions looming over his participation in the Paris leg, Freestyle Chess co-founder Jan Henric Buettner confirmed that there was never any doubt about Gukesh’s involvement. Buettner praised Gukesh for his humility and positive attitude, stating that the young chess prodigy simply accepted the bad results and vowed to do better next time.

The Paris leg of the Freestyle Chess tour will see a stronger Indian contingent, with Gukesh being joined by Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, and Vidit Gujrathi. The tournament features a stacked field, including top players like Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, and Vincent Keymer.

Despite the challenging format of Freestyle Chess, Gukesh remains determined to make a mark in the upcoming tournament and redeem himself after a tough start to the year. With a bigger payday and a shot at redemption on the line, Gukesh will be looking to showcase his skills and compete against some of the best players in the world.

Stay tuned for updates on Gukesh’s performance in the Paris leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour as he aims to make his mark in the competitive world of chess.