 "D Gukesh at Tata Steel Chess. Image: Tata Steel Chess")
Indian chess sensation and reigning world champion D Gukesh has shared his perspective on the rising popularity of freestyle chess. He said that freestyle chess is exciting, but classical chess holds greater significance.
Speaking at the India Today Conclave, Gukesh emphasised that while he is open to competing in all formats, classical chess remains the pinnacle of the game due to its rich history and legacy.
Gukesh compares freestyle and classical chess
Freestyle chess, which allows players to start from randomised positions, has generated fresh excitement in the sport with Magnus Carlsen’s new Grand Slam Tour. However, Gukesh believes it is still in its early stages and far from overtaking classical chess in terms of prestige and significance.
“Freestyle is exciting, and I’m happy to play it. But it’s too early to say where it’s going. We’ve only had two serious freestyle tournaments so far. I do hope freestyle grows big, but I don’t think it will ever overshadow classical chess. The World Championship cycle and the legacy behind it give classical chess more value,” he said.
Gukesh recently participated in the Weissenhaus leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, where he finished eighth out of 10 participants. He is currently ranked world No. 3 in the FIDE Classical rankings with an Elo rating of 2787. However, his standing in Rapid and Blitz is not as high, with his ratings in both formats falling below 2700.
Gukesh, who became world champion after dethroning Ding Liren last year, has confirmed his participation in the Paris leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, scheduled from 7 to 14 April. The tournament, boasting a massive prize pool of $7,50,000 (Rs. 6.5 crore), will feature some of the world’s best players, including Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Vincent Keymar, and Fabiano Caruana.
Besides Gukesh, the tournament will also feature two more Indian grandmasters, Arjun Erigaisi and R Praggnanandhaa. The matches will be played at the Pavillon Chesnaie du Roy in Paris and will feature 12 players instead of 10.
The 12th player for the event will be picked through an open online qualification competition on Chess.com, which will take place before the Paris leg begins.