World champion D. Gukesh's struggles continued at the FIDE Grand Swiss tournament in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, as he suffered a third consecutive defeat. The loss came in the seventh round against 16-year-old Turkish Grandmaster Ediz Gurel, adding to Gukesh's recent string of setbacks. Gukesh, who entered the tournament as the third seed, now has three points from seven rounds and faces a difficult path to stay in title contention.
Gukesh’s losing streak began with defeats to USA’s Abhimanyu Mishra and Greece’s Nikolas Theodorou. The loss to Gurel, who is also rated more than 100 ELO points lower, marks the first time a reigning world champion has lost three consecutive matches against lower-rated opponents in this manner. Playing with black pieces, Gukesh was in a difficult position early on and eventually blundered a bishop in the endgame, forcing him to resign after 52 moves.
In the following round, Gukesh's luck did not improve as he was held to a draw by fellow Indian Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh in a marathon, 103-move game. Despite having a material advantage in a technical rook-and-knight versus rook endgame, Gukesh could not find a way to convert the win. Divya's defensive play and mental resilience held off the world champion's relentless pressure, forcing him to offer a draw.
The draw is a significant achievement for Divya, who recently became a Grandmaster and won the Women's World Cup. Her strong performance in the tournament, including victories against two male Grandmasters, has put her ahead of Gukesh in the Grand Swiss standings. The match also had a near-historic element, as a win for Divya would have made her the first woman to defeat a reigning male world champion in classical chess.
In the women’s section, defending champion Vaishali Rameshbabu has reclaimed the sole lead after defeating Chinese IM Guo Qi. Vaishali, who now has five wins in the competition, is in a strong position to secure a spot in the prestigious 2026 Candidates Tournament. The contrasting fortunes of the top Indian players highlight the intense and unpredictable nature of the tournament, which offers a path to the World Championship for its winners.
