World champion D Gukesh said he is prioritizing workload management after overcoming a tough spell in 2025. Gukesh said that in an effort to find his best form, he tries to compete with less intensity and decided to skip long tournaments away from home.
The 19-year-old said he would only take part in two European Rapid and Blitz races, one each in Warsaw and Zagreb. He also thanked the organizers of the Grand Chess tour for accepting his request.
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“My performance in the last few events has been quite disappointing, not only for me but for all of you who support me.
“In order to find my best form, my team and I have decided that I should compete at a slightly lower intensity over the next few months. As a result, we feel it is in my best interest to skip the long events away from home in order to devote more time to training.”
“With this in mind, I have approached the organizers of the Grand Chess Tour and requested to play only two European Rapid & Blitz tournaments. They have been very supportive and understanding and we have agreed that I will participate in the Rapid & Blitz tournaments in Warsaw and Zagreb this year. I am very grateful for their support. I respectfully do not plan to play any more events during the Grand Chess Tour,” reads the full statement from the future Grand Tour and will certainly be available in full from the future Grand Tour. Gukesh.
GUKESH’S POOR 2025
2024 was a defining year for Gukesh as he won the candidates at the first question and became the world champion. He also led India’s men to a gold medal in the Chess Olympiad. He was also briefly World No.3 during this time.
Then came a difficult phase in 2025as D Gukesh failed to secure a single tournament victory, including disappointing outings at the FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament and an early third-round exit from the FIDE World Cup. This poor run carried over into 2026, where he finished 10th at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament and finished last at the Prague Masters.
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Published on:
31 March 2026 20:09 IST
