Now Reading: Gukesh crumbling under pressure, needs to shut out noise: Nakamura
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Gukesh crumbling under pressure, needs to shut out noise: Nakamura
American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura said world champion D Gukesh is 'crumbling' under the weight of expectations and needs to block out external and internal pressure. Speaking to PTI, Nakamura criticised Gukesh's reluctance…
The Story in Brief
American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura said world champion D Gukesh is 'crumbling' under the weight of expectations and needs to block out external and internal pressure. Speaking to PTI, Nakamura criticised Gukesh's reluctance to take draws, saying he should stop trying to play for the win in every game. Gukesh’s classical rating has dropped to 2703 since his 2024 world title win, with last-place finishes at Norway Chess and a Chennai event.
Nakamura assessed the upcoming title defence against Uzbek challenger Javokhir Sindarov as a '75-25' match in Sindarov’s favour but said a close result is possible. He also called Viswanathan Anand the 'godfather' of Indian chess and hinted the 2028 Chess Olympiad could be his last 'true classical' tournament.
The Indian Opinion
Nakamura’s blunt diagnosis feeds a lazy media narrative that Gukesh has already peaked. Two mediocre tournaments do not erase a world championship win. The same noise Nakamura tells Gukesh to shut out is what amplifies every rating dip into a crisis. Sindarov’s rating advantage is real, but 75-25 odds still leave room for an upset. The real test: can Gukesh hold his nerve when the match starts, or will the pressure become a self-fulfilling prophecy?
Sources (2): hindustantimes.com, sports.ndtv.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
