Gukesh Struggles at Prague as Aravindh and Divya Deshmukh Deliver for India

Indian world champion D. Gukesh ended a difficult campaign at the Prague International Chess Festival with a consolation victory over Spanish grandmaster David Antón Guijarro in the final round on Friday. The win marked the only victory for the 19-year-old during the nine-round tournament, bringing relief after a challenging run in which he struggled to find consistent form against a strong international field.

Gukesh’s campaign in Prague proved to be one of the toughest of his recent career. Across nine rounds, the Indian grandmaster recorded one win, five draws, and three losses, finishing joint last in the 10-player standings of the Masters section. Despite his status as the reigning world champion, the young prodigy found it difficult to convert opportunities and maintain momentum against experienced opponents throughout the tournament.

In contrast, fellow Indian grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram delivered a strong performance, finishing joint second in the standings. Aravindh entered the tournament as the defending champion but ultimately saw the title go to Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who continued his remarkable run of form in recent months. Abdusattorov has been one of the most consistent performers on the global chess circuit, having also secured tournament victories in London and Wijk aan Zed earlier this year.

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Another standout performer from India at the festival was Divya Deshmukh, who finished third in the Challengers section. Divya impressed with a disciplined and steady performance across nine rounds, losing only once during the event. Her only defeat came against Chinese player Zhu Jiner, a fellow contender in the Candidates cycle.

Divya’s achievement was particularly notable considering the strength of the field she faced in the challengers tournament. Seven of the 10 players in the section had higher ratings than her, making her podium finish a significant accomplishment. Over the course of the tournament, she secured two wins and several solid draws, demonstrating maturity and resilience against more experienced opponents.

The Prague International Chess Festival continues to be one of Europe’s most prominent chess events, attracting elite grandmasters from around the world. While Gukesh’s campaign may not have met expectations, the performances of Aravindh and Divya ensured that Indian players still left a strong mark on the tournament.

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