Viswanathan Anand weighs in on D Gukesh's mixed run since becoming world champion: 'No, big deal'

D Gukesh has had a topsy-turvy ride since he became the youngest world champion in chess history exactly a year ago. The Indian Grandmaster did finish runner-up at the Tata Steel Chess in his very next outing, and had also defeated Magnus Carlsen for the first time in his career in Norway Chess in June.

Gukesh’s performance graph, however, has witnessed a steady decline over the year, with the 19-year-old failing to make an impact in recent events, even in the Classical format – barely making a dent in the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, registering a hat-trick of losses at FIDE Grand Swiss and bowing out of the Chess World Cup in the third round.

Anand backs Gukesh to ’eventually correct the formula’

Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand, however, isn’t too worried over Gukesh’s current form and expects the teenager to bounce back in time for his title defence next year.

“No big deal,” five-time world champion Anand told The Indian Express on Gukesh’s apparent struggle. “He’s been experimenting in lots of formats. He’s willing to travel, he’s willing to go out there and try again and again. He’s not sitting on prestige (of being world champion). These are healthy qualities.

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“His year in classical events, it’s fairly acceptable. I mean, losing a tiebreak (at Wijk aan Zee) doesn’t mean you’ve had a bad tournament. His performance in Norway Chess didn’t fit any mold, but in its own way, it was hopefully satisfactory.

“It’s true that subsequently, whether it’s Grand Swiss, or World Cup, or, especially the faster formats, he’s probably disappointed. My own feeling is, no big deal. As long as he keeps pounding away at it, he’ll eventually correct the formula,” the former world No 1 added.

Both Gukesh and Anand are participating in the third season of the Global Chess League, which takes place in Mumbai this year and gets underway on Saturday. While Anand is the ‘Icon’ player with the Ganges Grandmasters team, Gukesh dons the same role in PBG Alaskan Knights, which also comprises current Indian No 1 Arjun Erigaisi.