Gukesh apologises to fans: ‘This event is kind of tough for me… some days just want to be left alone’

1 hour ago 3

ARTICLE AD BOX

2 min readMar 5, 2026 07:16 PM IST

World champion D Gukesh contemplates his next move at the Prague International Chess Festival. (PHOTO: Petr Vrabec via Prague International Chess Festival)

World champion D Gukesh managed to halt his streak of losses with a draw against Parham Maghsoodloo in the seventh round of the Prague International Chess Festival 2026. After the draw, the youngest world champion in chess history was seen sharing a rare chuckle with his opponent from Iran. Later, while giving an interview to the official YouTube handle of the tournament, Gukesh explained why he was occasionally not signing autographs and then apologised to his fans.

“I really appreciate all the fans coming here everyday. But I want to apologize to them—this tournament has been tough for me and on some days, I just want to be left alone. I generally make sure to give autographs and photographs after the game, but I haven’t been in a great mood here. I apologize for that, but the support really means a lot to me,” Gukesh told woman grandmaster Keti Tsatsalashvili in an interview.

Gukesh is yet to win a game at the Prague tournament, losing three games and drawing four games.

On being asked what his thoughts were about the state of his tournament, Gukesh said: “I mean, obviously, I’ve been playing badly here. The couple of chances I got, I didn’t use. So, what can I say? It’s been a bad tournament.”

WATCH: Gukesh apologises to fans in interview

Gukesh also pointed out that his long-time coach Grzegorz Gajewski was accompanying him in Prague. He also revealed that he is working with mind guru Paddy Upton, with whose help he had become the youngest world champion in history.

“Other than the opening preparation, he’s someone I can just share things with. We’ve worked together for more than three years, so we have a close bond. My parents are always a huge support system, and working with Paddy (Upton) also helps. Talking to him gives you clarity; having people who understand what goes on in a sports person’s head is quite nice.”

Read Entire Article