Gukesh hunts form at Norway Chess

Hindustan Times

26-05-2025

Stavanger, Norway: As Gukesh D sat down for his social media commitments with Norway Chess ahead of the tournament, he was asked to read out from a little placard looking into the camera as a promo for the broadcasters.
'Hi, I'm Gukesh. I'm the world No. 3...'
He paused, glanced down at the placard and, wearing a slightly puzzled look, tried piecing together the rest of the script. Someone from among the handful watching on whispered: 'you're the world champion!'
'Can I say that?' Gukesh inquired.
'Of course,' came the reply.
The script was tweaked, and 'world No.3' was mentally erased.
It's great to become the youngest world chess champion in history at 18. But it's far from easy. The title brings an unprecedented level of attention in India, heightened interest globally, and a steep rise in expectations. The soft-spoken teen from Chennai isn't used to it all—nor is he a natural at it (though he doesn't mind the occasional dance).
In this small Norwegian town, where all players are cooped up in the same hotel, you might catch Magnus Carlsen watching basketball on his iPad at breakfast or Arjun Erigaisi chatting with his mother over lunch. Gukesh, however, has been a rare sight in such common areas, appearing mostly for official tournament engagements.
During the chat, when asked to name a Bollywood movie title that best fits his World Championship triumph, he struggled to come up with one before sheepishly offering: 'Baahubali, maybe.'
The comparison wasn't far off. The youngster was made to feel like the larger-than-life Baahubali in the immediate aftermath of his stunning victory over Ding Liren last December. He returned to a hero's welcome in Chennai—garlands, cheering crowds, and a slew of felicitations, including the prestigious Khel Ratna award. Gukesh admitted it took time to adjust.
As part of that learning curve, he now wears a mask when stepping out in Chennai—or anywhere in India—where he thinks he might be recognized.
'I've learned to deal with it. I've settled into it,' Gukesh told Norway Chess. 'It's one of those things—soon after the World Championship, everything changed so much.'
So did the way other players view him. This 18-year-old is no longer the wide-eyed prodigy or the hungry challenger. He's the bona fide world champion—with or without the Carlsen asterisk.
'When I wasn't world champion and I was playing the world champion, it was motivating for me,' Gukesh said. 'So, I think it's the same now for others. And it motivates me too—to keep working and improving myself. It's a healthy challenge.'
It's a challenge he's currently navigating. The dream of becoming world champion has been followed by the reality of a dip in form. The man who scaled the summit of classical chess is now hunting desperately for wins. The Tata Steel Masters in Wijk aan Zee—where he tied for first in classical and lost to R Praggnanandhaa in a tiebreak—has been a rare exception in an otherwise forgettable run leading into Norway Chess. The tournament features a stacked field, including the world's top five players.
'After the World Championship... Wijk was really good... but since then, none of the tournaments have actually gone well,' Gukesh said. 'But okay—I'm back to working, back to training, back to playing. If I keep doing the right things and stay consistent, the results will come. And this [Norway Chess] is one opportunity to pull it back.'
For Gukesh, the biggest challenge in his transition from prodigy to world champion is eliminating weak moments during tournaments. At a lower level, you might get away with them, but now, he says, 'you get punished literally every time.' The margin for error is minimal, and the spotlight on each of his results, maximal.
He's carried expectations from a young age, but this, as he puts it, is a 'new level.'
'But I see it as a challenge—to prove to myself that I can handle this. Even though expectations are high, I can meet them if I keep working hard and doing my best.'
That's what he's aiming for now: to rediscover his form—not to prove anything about his legitimacy as world champion, or his quality as a chess player.
'Last year, in classical chess, I already played a few tournaments that kind of proved whatever needed to be proven,' he said. 'Right now, the focus isn't on proving anything. The World Championship is not where I want to stop. I want to go beyond that. So, it's not about proving—it's about improving.'