Gukesh suffers third straight defeat as young prodigies dominate; set to face Divya Deshmukh today

At the FIDE Grand Swiss tournament in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, world champion Gukesh Dommaraju has become the center of attention as rising teenage stars continue to challenge and defeat him. The event, celebrated for its unpredictability and fiercely competitive field, has once again lived up to expectations by delivering several dramatic upsets. Membership of the informal “Mikhail Chigorin Club,” named after the Russian master who lost twice to Wilhelm Steinitz, has now grown further. This rare club accepts only those players who manage to beat a reigning world champion in classical play, and remarkably, three teenagers have already joined it at this year’s Grand Swiss.

Also Read : Shivam Dube Reveals Gautam Gambhir’s Message Before Asia Cup, Speaks On Rivalry With Hardik Pandya

Gukesh Faces Consecutive Defeats

Teenage sensation Gukesh, who created history by becoming the youngest chess world champion at 18 last year, has endured a brutal stretch of games in Samarkand. He has now lost three matches in a row, including his most recent defeat to 16-year-old Turkish prodigy Ediz Gurel in round seven. Earlier, he was toppled by American GM Abhimanyu Mishra and Greek GM Nikolas Theodorou, both considerably younger and lower-ranked opponents. Once hailed as the favorite to dominate the tournament, the 19-year-old from Chennai is now under immense pressure as he struggles against prodigies determined to test his crown.

Ediz Gurel, who secured a remarkable victory against Gukesh, expressed immense joy after the win, calling it one of his most memorable games. The Turkish youngster explained that simply playing against the reigning champion was already exciting, but winning exceeded all expectations. Initially, the game favored Gukesh, especially after Gurel’s blunder on move twenty-seven and the queen exchange on move twenty-nine, which gave the Indian a slight edge. However, the critical turning point came at move forty, right after Gukesh crossed the time-control threshold, when he made a blunder of his own. Just two moves later, he gave away a bishop for two pawns, allowing Gurel to seize control and eventually claim victory.

Also Read : Nitin Gadkari Defends E20 Seeks GST Relief on Car Scrappage

Upcoming Clash with Divya Deshmukh

In the eighth round, Gukesh is set to face his compatriot Divya Deshmukh, who has already made headlines for her bold choice to compete in the open section instead of the women’s category. Divya, who won the Women’s World Cup earlier this year and qualified for the Women’s Candidates tournament, has displayed enormous confidence in challenging elite male players. Her presence in the open section reflects her ambition, while the matchup against Gukesh adds extra intrigue to the tournament. For Gukesh, this game becomes crucial as he looks to halt his losing streak and rediscover the form that helped him secure the world championship title.

The Grand Swiss remains fiercely competitive, with even top-rated Indian players like Arjun Erigaisi facing setbacks. Arjun blundered a piece against German GM Matthias Bluebaum, who entered the tournament rated a hundred points lower, but still managed to deliver a shock victory. With this win, Bluebaum rose to the top of the standings alongside Nihal Sarin, who continues to perform strongly. Meanwhile, Praggnanandhaa sustained his excellent form in 2025, defeating Maxim Rodshtein to remain just one point behind the leaders. Defending champion Vidit Gujrathi also stayed firmly in contention, trailing Nihal by half a point after winning his seventh-round game and keeping his title defense alive.

Also Read : Nitin Gadkari Defends E20 Seeks GST Relief on Car Scrappage