World Champion D Gukesh Begins Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour Campaign

World Champion D Gukesh has kicked off his campaign at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam tour with a mix of results, showing that he is adapting to the new format. The event, a brainchild of Magnus Carlsen and Jan Henric Buettner, has stirred up controversy with FIDE, the world’s top chess body.

Freestyle chess, formerly known as Fischer random chess, has gained popularity for its unique setup where pieces are randomly placed at the start of the game. Gukesh, the youngest world champion, has had a draw and a loss in his first two games, but managed to secure draws in his next two matches.

With five rounds still to go in the group stage, Gukesh will need to perform well to make it to the next stage. Meanwhile, Carlsen has also had a mixed start to the tournament, with Caruana and Sindarov leading the pack.

The controversy surrounding the event has led to tensions between FIDE and the event promoters, with the world champion title in this format being a point of contention. Despite this, the promoters are offering a substantial prize fund of 750,000 USD per tournament for five events this year.

The withdrawal of Viswanathan Anand, speculated to be due to his position as FIDE’s deputy president, has added to the drama surrounding the event. As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Gukesh and the other top players to see who will come out on top in this new and exciting format of chess.