"Gukesh has not won a single tournament as Champion! All this points to clear degradation..." — Russian GM Sergei Shipov

Sergei Shipov

Russian GM

“In the last two years, Sindarov has played much stronger and more consistently than Gukesh. His phenomenal performance at the Candidates Tournament in Cyprus has a clear Championship brilliance.

But the World Champion has not won a single tournament during his entire time holding the title… I repeat, not a single tournament! His balance of wins and lossеs is negative. All this points to clear degradation, to a deep slump.

The reasons for this phenomenon are a big mystery. How can a young, healthy person decline so sharply? Only supporters of cheating on the part of the challenger Gukesh can now see a cause-and-effect relationship.

And for everyone else, including me, the questions remain unresolved. The harmony of the world is lost.

You know how it happens in the acting world. A young, handsome, energetic master of theater and cinema constantly plays the roles of successful lovers, lucky adventurers, heroes of adventure, and so on.

But 20 years later, as his beauty and energy fade, he switches to the roles of deceived husbands and unsuccessful enemies for a new wave of young lovers and adventurers.

It’s astonishing, but true — the chess artist Gukesh underwent this sad metamorphosis in just two years.

Remember how we awaited the championship match between Ding Liren and Gukesh. A sick and tired Champion against the backdrop of a rising star of colossal energy and luck. Now the Indian will put on the black robe passed down to him from his predecessor…

My prediction for the match is 70-30 in favor of Sindarov. I expect a confident victory for Sindarov, but I hope for the longest possible stage of stubborn and interesting struggle. All the way to a tiebreak.”