No Wins For Gukesh Yet: World Champion Seeks Redemption In All-Indian Clash At Prague

Last Updated:March 03, 2026, 19:28 IST

World champion D Gukesh struggles at Prague Chess Festival with 1.5 points from five rounds. Facing Aravindh Chithambaram next, he aims to recover.

Reigning world champion D Gukesh is still searching for his first win at the Prague International Chess Festival, and time is beginning to run out.

With just 1.5 points from five rounds — three draws and two losses — the 17-year-old has endured an uncharacteristic slump in the Masters section.

The rough patch has seen him drop to No. 17 in the live world rankings, adding urgency to Wednesday’s sixth-round encounter against compatriot Aravindh Chithambaram.

Gukesh’s defeats have been particularly frustrating. Against tournament leader Jorden van Foreest, he held a promising position before letting the advantage slip. His loss to Nodirbek Abdusattorov was even more painful: a positional error under time pressure from what appeared to be a winning setup.

With clashes against Parham Maghsoodloo, Vincent Keymer and David Anton Guijarro still to come, Gukesh must find momentum quickly to salvage his campaign.

Aravindh, the defending champion who burst onto the elite scene with his victory here last year, has also struggled. His sole win came from a worse position against Hans Niemann.

Despite both players’ inconsistent starts, Gukesh enters their matchup as the slight favourite.

At the top, Van Foreest has been the standout performer. With four wins and one loss, the Dutchman leads the field and appears increasingly confident as the tournament enters its critical phase.

Czech veteran David Navara sits just behind on 3.5 points, punching above expectations as the lowest seed.

Challengers Section Spotlight

In the Challengers event, Divya Deshmukh has impressed with 2.5 points from five games. However, Czech International Master Václav Finěk leads outright with 4/5.

Divya’s win over Surya Shekhar Ganguly — a former Indian champion and longtime second to Viswanathan Anand — was particularly notable, marking a rare defeat for the seasoned grandmaster against an Indian woman player.

(with PTI inputs)

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