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D gukesh admitted criticism over his recent poor form is fair, saying, “They have the right to say what they feel and I have the right to do my best.” Since winning the world title against Ding Liren in 2024, gukesh has struggled for consistency, drawing criticism from legends like Magnus Carlsen and Anatoly Karpov.

Ian Nepomniachtchi criticised reigning world champion D gukesh for inconsistent performances, saying nearly every top GM currently has a strong chance against him. Nepomniachtchi also backed Javokhir Sindarov as favourite for their 2026 World Championship clash, citing his strong form and higher rating. gukesh, meanwhile, has taken a break from classical chess to prepare for his title defence.

As Norway Chess moves to Oslo for its 2026 edition, all eyes are on the Indian contingent. From World Champion D gukesh seeking urgent form before his title defence to Koneru Humpy making a highly anticipated return to the board, we break down the biggest storylines dominating the 12-day double round-robin tournament.

Norway Chess 2026 begins on May 25 in Oslo, featuring stars like Magnus Carlsen, gukesh Dommaraju, Praggnanandhaa and Wesley So. Indian viewers can watch the tournament live on Mirror Now, while online streaming will be available on Chess.com, the official Norway Chess website and YouTube. The tournament runs till June 5 and also features a strong women’s lineup led by Ju Wenjun and Humpy Koneru.

Norway's chess tournament kicks off with a star-studded lineup, featuring world champion D gukesh and Magnus Carlsen. China's Ju Wenjun leads the women's field. Indian prodigy R Praggnanandhaa joins the fray after a strong showing in Romania, while Vincent Keymer and Alireza Firouzja also compete. The event unfolds at Oslo's impressive public library.

Javokhir Sindarov defeated D gukesh in their first-ever blitz clash at the Grand Chess Tour in Warsaw, avenging his earlier rapid loss to the World Champion. gukesh’s rare fist-pump celebration after that previous win had gone viral. With one win each, their growing rivalry now heads into a decisive final reverse-blitz showdown before this year’s World Championship clash.

World Champion D gukesh displayed rare emotion with a fist pump after defeating challenger Javokhir Sindarov in the GCT Rapid & Blitz tournament. This victory, in a Caro Kann defense variation, held added significance as Sindarov is slated to challenge gukesh for the World title later this year. gukesh described the win as a personal boost after a previous loss.

World champion D gukesh showed rare emotion after defeating future title challenger Javokhir Sindarov at the Grand Chess Tour in Poland. Playing with the black pieces, gukesh outplayed the Uzbek grandmaster in 52 moves and celebrated with a fist pump after the win. The victory was seen as a strong statement ahead of their World Championship clash later this year.

Alireza Firouzja stunned the chess world by playing his Round 5 classical game against Javokhir Sindarov from a hotel room bed at the Superbet Chess Classic Romania 2026 after suffering an ankle injury. The extraordinary setup quickly went viral. Earlier, R Praggnanandhaa defeated Sindarov in a significant round-two encounter in Bucharest.

World No. 1 and five-time world Magnus Carlsen suffered his first classical chess defeat in nearly a year after losing to Jorden van Foreest at the TePe Sigeman & Co Tournament 2026 in Malmo. Carlsen had remained unbeaten since his loss to D gukesh in 2025. Arjun Erigaisi stayed unbeaten after drawing with Nodirbek Abdusattorov.

India's esports and chess talent will now have a direct path to the prestigious Esports World Cup 2026. The Esports Foundation and JioBLAST have launched 'India Rising: Road to EWC,' beginning with chess qualifiers. Top Indian players will vie for a spot in the main event in Riyadh, showcasing the nation's growing prowess in competitive gaming and chess.

Koneru Humpy said only China’s Zhu Jiner currently has the potential to break the 2600 Elo barrier and enter the Open world top-100 among women players. Humpy stressed that women need regular participation in Open tournaments to improve significantly. She also defended withdrawing from the Candidates event over safety concerns and called India’s chess rise a “Tamil Nadu boom”.

India’s chess boom is inspiring young talents, but families face huge financial and logistical struggles behind the scenes. Parents spend lakhs on foreign tournaments, visas, travel, and coaching, often without sponsorship or federation support. Many also deal with poor tournament systems in India and scams abroad. Despite rising success stories like Vaishali and gukesh, chess parents say survival in the sport remains extremely difficult.

Faustino Oro, a 12-year-old Argentine chess prodigy known as the “Messi of Chess,” has become the second-youngest Grandmaster in history. TimesofIndia.com follows his journey from learning chess during the COVID lockdown in Buenos Aires to moving to Barcelona and competing globally. Despite tougher FIDE rules, Oro’s talent, discipline, and love for the game helped him succeed.

Magnus Carlsen has declared Javokhir Sindarov the favourite to win the upcoming World Chess Championship against D gukesh, citing Sindarov's well-rounded game. Sindarov's dominant Candidates Tournament performance, where he remained unbeaten, has impressed chess legends. Despite this, gukesh's renowned mental resilience and ability to defend difficult positions remain significant factors in this historic, generational duel.

Chess legend Garry Kasparov believes a surprising victory by Javokhir Sindarov over D gukesh in the upcoming World Championship could pave the way for Magnus Carlsen's return. Kasparov lauded Sindarov's impressive Candidates win, calling him the favorite against gukesh, despite the latter's mental fortitude and match experience. This potential generational shift could reignite interest in Carlsen's classical chess comeback.

12-year-old Aarav Sarbalia is gaining recognition as a rising chess talent. Alongside his on-board progress, his structured social media content has attracted prominent followers, including Judit Polgar and D gukesh's coach, Vishnu Prasanna. Supported by his family and guided by top coaching, Aarav is building momentum toward his long-term goal of achieving the Grandmaster (GM) title.

In this exclusive interview, Vincent Keymer reflected on his rise from winning the Grenke Open at 13 to claiming the Grenke Freestyle 2026 title in Karlsruhe. Germany’s No. 1 spoke about freestyle chess relying more on intuition, handling the “intimidation factor” of Magnus Carlsen, and balancing school with chess while growing up in a family of musicians. Keymer also praised coach Péter Lékó and discussed the challenges young chess players face in Germany compared to countries like India.

India is set to witness a historic chess moment as young prodigies Dommaraju gukesh and Vaishali Rameshbabu vie for World Championship titles. gukesh is the reigning champion, while Vaishali faces the formidable Ju Wenjun. FIDE is now seeking bids for host cities, with a potential for both matches to be held concurrently, creating an unprecedented dual championship event.

Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov delivered a dominant, unbeaten performance to win the Candidates Tournament in Cyprus with a round to spare, finishing on 9.5 points. The 20-year-old’s victory sets up a World Championship clash against India’s D gukesh, creating the youngest-ever title matchup in chess history.

Magnus Carlsen won the Chess.com Open, while Denis Lazavik beat Nihal Sarin, leaving no Indian qualified yet for the Esports World Cup 2026, as of yet. Extra qualification spots don’t pass down, increasing pressure on Sarin. He remains India’s one of the besthopes, with chances through circuit rankings and qualifiers in the evolving esports chess format.

Javokhir Sindarov clinched the FIDE Candidates 2026 title with a round to spare after an unbeaten run, sealing qualification for the World Championship with a draw against Anish Giri. The Uzbek GM showed consistency throughout, starting with a win over Andrey Esipenko and maintaining control with key draws. He will now face reigning champion D gukesh for the title.

Reigning World Champion D gukesh faced another setback at the Menorca Masters 2026, losing to compatriot Nihal Sarin. gukesh's early opening misstep allowed Sarin to seize the initiative, leading to a decisive kingside assault and gukesh's resignation. This loss highlights gukesh's current slump as he prepares for his title defense, while Sarin surges to the sole lead.

Tamil Nadu's chess prowess shines as R Vaishali eyes the Women's World Championship after her Candidates victory. Young A S Sharvaanica's U12 rapid title further highlights the state's growing talent. While these successes inspire, experts note the need for greater support and sponsorship to elevate women's chess participation and achieve global dominance.

Exclusive: Javokhir Sindarov won the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament, earning a World Championship match against D gukesh. Germany No. 1 Vincent Keymer praised his aggressive and fearless style of play. "It was easy for him to lose the first game," said Keymer as Uzbek prodigy sealed the title with a round to spare.

Playing white pieces while chasing a result, players often get greedy and make more adventurous, attacking moves on the board, weakening their defence in the process. Vaishali had white pieces. She was up against Russia's Kateryna Lagno, a mother of four and quite brilliant at keeping a poker face on the table. Vaishali had to be brave to overcome the challenge posed by the veteran, and she did so with a clinical precision that belied the stakes.

Indian chess prodigy Nihal Sarin brushed off an online opponent’s rude gesture earlier this year, focusing instead on his game. Since then, he has surged in form, reaching a career-high rating of 2723, winning the Menorca Masters, and beating world champion D gukesh twice. He will now aim to qualify for the Esports World Cup 2026.

Vaishali Rameshbabu’s journey to the Women’s Candidates title wasn’t easy. After a poor run in Chennai shattered her confidence, she even considered skipping the Grand Swiss. A crucial two-hour call with Karthikeyan Murali changed her mind. A mental reset helped her win the event, regain form, and now she prepares to face world champion Ju Wenjun.

Youngest World Cup winner Javokhir Sindarov is on the cusp of Candidates glory, needing just a draw to secure the title after an effortless draw with Hikaru Nakamura. He maintains an unbeaten run and leads by two points, setting up a potential Generation Z clash with D gukesh.