"Gukesh's recent games have been painful to watch, giving the impression of a player who can do nothing right…" — English GM Luke McShane

Luke McShane

English GM

“Since winning the title by defeating Ding Liren in 2024, Gukesh has suffered a catastrophic slump in form. His latest setback, at the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters tournament, saw him finish in clear last place, just as he did at the elite Norway Chess event in June.

Gukesh will defend his title in a match which is scheduled to begin in November. He has plummeted to 30th place on the live rating list, barely above the symbolic 2700 level. His Uzbek challenger Javokhir Sindarov currently sits at fourth place, making him a clear favorite.

Some time ago, comparing the strengths of the top Indian players, the renowned Indian coach RB Ramesh identified Gukesh’s main strength as his “insane self-belief.” That accords with my own experience facing Gukesh in a tense game at the London Chess Classic in 2023. During our brief postmortem chat, he showed no arrogance at all, but evinced the quiet conviction that he would win somehow. As indeed he did.

Confidence is a boon to any player, so its presence or absence can create a virtuous or vicious circle. Gukesh’s recent games have been painful to watch, giving the impression of a player who can do nothing right.

Two losses in Chennai, against Erigaisi and also with Pranesh, came from excellent positions…”