D Gukesh under scrutiny as Russian GM Nepo questions World Chess Champion’s form: ‘He just plays badly at times’

Ian Nepomniachtchi and D Gukesh NEW DELHI: Russian grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi has expressed a strong opinion about reigning world champion D Gukesh, saying the Indian teenager is vulnerable against almost all the top players in the world at the moment.Speaking at the 2026 Sardinia World Chess Festival, Nepomniachtchi said Gukesh had struggled for consistency since 2024, when he became the youngest world champion in history.“Based on what we saw from Gukesh last year, I believe almost any top GM would have a very good chance against him, to put it mildly. Because he just plays poorly at times,” Nepomniachtchi told ChessBase India.“Of course, there’s always the chance of a bad tournament or a bad sequence, but it’s pretty much lost for him after Candidates. I think the match against Ding was also very bad from both sides. But well, the match itself is very special, it’s all about psychology, stamina and so on.”The Russian CEO also backed Javokhir Sindarov ahead of his 2026 World Cup clash with Gukesh.The match, which is scheduled for November, will be the youngest ever world title match, with both players in their 20s.Nepomniachtchi believes Sindarov currently has the edge thanks to his recent form and higher rating. “As for the moment, Sindarov is obviously 50 elo points up and he’s clearly on a hot streak,” he said, although he added that form can change quickly ahead of the title fight.They have been carefully analyzed since Gukesh became the world champion in 2024.While he has shown flashes of brilliance, he has also had bad tournaments and recently decided to take a break from classical chess to prepare for his title defense.Meanwhile, Sindarov had a remarkable rise, winning the 2026 Candidates Tournament and the FIDE World Cup.

Who do you think will win the upcoming World Championship match between Gukesh and Sindarov?