D Gukesh may not remain chess world champion by the end of 2026, the legendary Judit Polgar has predicted in a recent interview. Judit Polgar, the only woman to be ranked in the world’s top 10, also spoke on what could help 19-year-old Gukesh to recover from an alarming dip before he defends his world title later this year.

Gukesh won the world chess championship at 18 by beating Chinese Grandmaster Ding Liren in December 2024, but hasn’t won a major title since becoming the world’s youngest world champion. At the recently-concluded Prague Chess Masters 2026, Gukesh spoke about the
need for a break from the spotlight as he finished with just one win.

Gukesh to lose world chess title crown?

The challenger for Gukesh’s world crown will be decided in April 2026, with eight players set to take part in FIDE Candidates 2026. And Judit Polgar feels whoever wins the Candidates will also become the next world chess champion.

“There is a very, very big question mark whether Gukesh can stay the world champion (at the end of this year),” Polgar told The Indian Express. “I’m sure Gukesh has a great future, but I’m not sure he’s going to be world champion after the next world championship match. But it doesn’t mean he’s not going to regain it again if it happens.”

While analysing what has gone wrong with Gukesh, Polgar felt that the teenager is taking fewer risks as compared to the time when he was not a world champion and had displayed remarkable mental strength, which is not the case anymore.

“First of all, he was extremely young when he became a world champion. In the world championship, he had a very special momentum because Ding Liren (who Gukesh beat to become the world champion) was very clearly having very difficult psychological and mental issues. At the same time, I think it was fantastic for Gukesh that he did not win on the chessboard, but he won because of his mental strength,” Polgar told The Indian Express.

“Gukesh was able to stand the pressure better. He was ready to make mistakes, but bounce back from them. He was ready to concentrate and focus. Like in a safari, the jaguar comes and attacks when he’s hunting. So he was ready for this, that whenever Ding made a mistake, he was ready. This is what happened with rook to f2 in the final game.”

“At that world championship (in November-December 2024), Gukesh played well, but he did not play so much better than Ding at all. But psychological and mental (strength), I think it was a very important part of his preparation, and that paid off,” added Polgar.

The suggestion for Gukesh to script a comeback was to sharpen his mental conditioning and go back to taking risks.

“He has to not only work on his chess, but also has to spend a lot of time on his psychological mental preparation. How not to be afraid of making mistakes and play it out,” Polgar shared.

Indian chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa has sent a strong message ahead of the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament. Over the past few years, Praggnanandhaa, along with players like D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi, has led India’s rise in the chess world.

The 20-year-old recently qualified for the prestigious Candidates Tournament after winning the FIDE Circuit 2025 with 115.17 points. He will be the only Indian player in the Open section of this year’s Candidates.

Speaking to Chess.com, Praggnanandhaa admitted that most top players already know each other’s playing styles, which makes it important to keep bringing new ideas on the board.

“All of them know my game, but the trick lies in coming up with novelty each time. Otherwise, it’s not possible to keep winning against the world’s best,” Praggnanandhaa was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile,
Praggnanandhaa is currently in the recovery phase after witnessing a dip in his performance last year. He did well in the first half of the season, but couldn’t carry the same momentum in the second half. He also slipped out of the FIDE top 10 rankings.

Gukesh wants Pragg to win

The FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 will take place from March 28 to April 16 at the Cap St Georges Hotel & Resort in Pegeia, Cyprus. The event will run alongside the Women’s Candidates Tournament.

The competition will feature eight of the world’s top players and will follow a double round-robin format, meaning each player will face every other participant twice across 14 rounds. Praggnanandhaa will play alongside some big names like Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Anish Giri, Wei Yi, Javokhir Sindarov, Matthias Blübaum, and Andrey Esipenko.

The winner of the tournament will earn the right to challenge reigning world champion D Gukesh in the World Chess Championship 2026, apart from winning €70,000 (Rs 74 lakh) prize money.

Meanwhile, Gukesh also wants an all-Indian match at the World Championship this year. “Personally, I would like to face Pragg. It would be an Indian clash, and it would be great for the Indian fans,” Gukesh recently told Chessbase India.

India’s top chess Grandmasters suffering from poor form at the moment

NEW DELHI: When Grandmaster (GM) Gukesh Dommaraju paused in the middle of the Prague Masters to apologise to fans, the moment felt unusually raw and emotional.“I really appreciate all the fans coming here every day. But I want to apologise to them. This tournament has been tough for me, and on some days I just want to be left alone,” the youngest-ever world chess champion said. “I generally make sure to give autographs and photographs after the game, but I haven’t been in a great mood here.”The admission carried weight, especially for a player who has only been navigating the highs and lows of being a world champion for less than 24 months.

Champions rarely reveal vulnerability so openly, almost never during tournaments. Yet this apology struck a chord across the chess world as it seemed to hint at something deeper.Indian chess, which has enjoyed a golden phase in recent times, is currently undergoing an alarming dip at the top of the pyramid.For example, the first FIDE rating list of 2026 in January featured three Indian GMs, Arjun Erigaisi, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, and Gukesh, in the top 10.Two months later, in March, the scenario changed drastically. Erigaisi and Praggnanandhaa have slipped out of the top 10, while Gukesh, occupying the 10th spot in the latest rating list, risks losing more points after a difficult run (only one win in 10 rounds) in Prague.

D Gukesh (Photo by Michal Walusza/FIDE)

At a time when the chess calendar is heading toward a crucial phase, with the Candidates Tournament followed by the World Chess Championship, the dip has prompted questions.Is this just a temporary fluctuation? Or are there deeper issues affecting India’s brightest talents?Does the current dip in form for Indian top grandmasters sound alarm bells?“Of course, it’s a matter of concern,” veteran Grandmaster Pravin Thipsay told TimesofIndia.com during an exclusive interaction.“When players who were approaching or crossing 2800 suddenly drop by 40 or 50 points, it certainly deserves serious attention.”The reasons, according to Thipsay, are complex but interconnected.

Playing too much chess

Ironically, one of the biggest factors behind the slump could be the sheer volume of chess the young stars are playing.“The first reason, in my opinion, is that they are simply playing too much,” Thipsay explained. “Because they have become very strong, they receive a lot of invitations. Naturally, they end up playing far more tournaments than most players usually do.”He continued, “Top players often receive appearance fees that can be higher than the prize money itself. Earlier, they played mainly for prizes. Now, the starting money becomes a major factor. Financially, it can be difficult to refuse invitations.”Relationships with organisers also play a role. “Many organisers supported these players when they started out in their careers. Naturally, players feel obliged to accept those invitations,” he added.

Praggnanandhaa R against Matthias Blübaum (Photo by Frans Peeters/Tata Steel Chess)

What follows next is a relentless tournament schedule. From classical tournaments to online events such as Titled Tuesdays and Freestyle Friday, the calendar rarely allows breathing space.Grandmaster Shyam Sundar M, whose relentless contribution through coaching has gifted India multiple GMs in recent times, echoes the same concern about the modern schedule.“The top 10 fluctuates frequently, not just for Indians,” Shyam Sundar added. “Players today compete in classical tournaments, rapid, blitz, Chess960 team events and many other competitions. Without enough breaks, it’s natural that results will fluctuate.”The consequence, he explains, is that players often arrive at the most important tournament not fully refreshed.

Stardom and distractions

Another factor, Thipsay believes, lies in the unique status Indian chess players enjoy at home.“The social status of Indian players today is much higher than what players like Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Alireza Firouzja or Fabiano Caruana experience in their countries,” he said.In India, chess stars have become celebrities. And recently, this idea was put into perspective by FIDE itself when they put out a social media post comparing Instagram follower counts of the Candidates. And unsurprisingly, two of the top three were Indians.“They receive huge media attention, encouragement, and financial offers. Endorsements and brand collaborations bring good money, but they also take a lot of your time and mental energy,” Thipsay added.These commitments may appear minor compared to the rigours of professional chess; but over time, they can shift focus. “Financial rewards outside chess can become a distraction and may hamper concentration,” Thipsay told this website.

The closed circuit problem

Another factor shaping modern chess is the structure of tournaments themselves. Today’s leading players often compete repeatedly against the same small group of elite opponents in closed events.“Since the days of Garry Kasparov, the top players have mostly played among themselves in elite events,” Thipsay stated. “Even Anatoly Karpov played many open tournaments against ordinary players. That tradition has largely disappeared.”The result is a tight competitive ecosystem.

Arjun Erigaisi vs Praggnanandhaa R (Photo by Frans Peeters/Tata Steel Chess)

“When you play the same opponents repeatedly, you become very familiar with their styles. Preparation becomes about guessing what your opponent will play rather than discovering new ideas.”In contrast, open tournaments force players to think independently, which the top stars are lacking these days.“When these players rose rapidly in 2022 and 2023, they were playing many Swiss tournaments. You faced unknown opponents, unpredictable positions, and that sharpened their creativity. New strategic ideas won’t come to you if you are playing the same players, again and again. So that’s very serious.”

The engine era dilemma

According to Thipsay, the overwhelming role of computer preparation has subtly changed how players think.“Today, many players buy enormous amounts of prepared material from analysts or trainers. Often, these analysts are not strong players themselves; they simply run engines and provide computer suggestions,” he revealed. “A human process is different. You understand the position, identify strategic ideas, analyse tactics, and then reach a logical decision. With engine preparation, you are given the move, but you may not understand why it works.”He cites a famous remark by José Raúl Capablanca, adding, “Almost 100 years ago, Capablanca once said: ‘The best way to win is the easiest way.’ But the easiest path is different for every player.”When players follow computer lines that do not suit their style, problems emerge. “You might know that the engine says a move is best, but you have not truly grasped the idea behind it,” the veteran GM added.

Losing their natural strengths

Thipsay feels the Indian trio’s distinctive styles have slightly faded in recent months.“Praggnanandhaa was once one of the most dangerous attacking players, but he isn’t getting many attacking positions now. Gukesh was phenomenal defensively, as his accuracy in events like the Olympiad was extraordinary.”He believes opponents are now adapting.“Rivals are preparing specific strategies to complicate games. Meanwhile, Arjun and Gukesh have lost some accuracy, and Praggnanandhaa some initiative.”However, all is not lost as Thipsay remains optimistic.

Arjun Erigaisi (Photo by Mukhammadbobur Makhmarayimov)

“If these players return to playing their natural games and perhaps include more open tournaments, the situation can change quickly,” he added.Shyam Sundar, on the other hand, cautions against reading too much into short-term dips.“Sometimes players experiment with their games as well,” he added.“For example, Gukesh himself has spoken about trying new things after becoming world champion. When players experiment, results can suffer temporarily even though the quality of chess remains strong.“When players are competing across formats and experimenting with ideas, you will naturally see ups and downs in results. But that doesn’t mean the players have suddenly become weaker.”