Gukesh, who stunned the chess world earlier this year by becoming the youngest World Champion at 18, entered the tournament brightly, remaining unbeaten through the first four rounds with two wins and two draws. However, his form has unraveled since Round 5, where he lost to American teenager Abhimanyu Mishra, marking the youngest player ever to defeat a reigning world champion in classical chess. The setbacks were compounded by a Round 6 loss to Greece’s Nikolas Theodorou before Gurel capitalized on a late endgame blunder to force Gukesh’s resignation on move 52.
The 19-year-old champion now sits on just three points from seven games, effectively eliminating him from title contention and jeopardizing his place in the world’s top-10 live ratings. All three recent losses have come against opponents at least 100 Elo points below Gukesh’s 2767 rating, an unprecedented sequence for a reigning champion.
Standing in his Round 8 path is compatriot Divya Deshmukh, who holds 3.5 points and enjoys a half-point lead over Gukesh. Deshmukh has claimed notable victories over higher-rated opponents Bassem Amin and Velimir Ivic, and a win over Gukesh would make her the first woman to defeat a reigning World Champion in classical chess. Gukesh will play White, with Deshmukh on Black in this historic all-Indian clash.
After the defeat to Gurel, Gukesh acknowledged the mental toll of consecutive losses but vowed to fight back. “I have to stay focused and make the most of what’s left,” he said. The outcome today will not only shape Gukesh’s path to recovery but also spotlight Deshmukh’s burgeoning prowess on the open stage.
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