Much like the thousand other gossips in the world of chess questioning the credibility of the latest World Champion, India’s teenage superstar D. Gukesh, a new battle is brewing between Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Gukesh.
It began when the world’s youngest Rapid Champion, Abdusattorov, was asked to give his unpopular chess opinion. He replied that Gukesh would lose his World Championship title in the next match. In a video released by FIDE, Abdusattorov said, “Gukesh will lose his title in the next match. Is that controversial?”
Both Abdusattorov and Gukesh are in Samarkand (Uzbekistan), the former’s home, for the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025, which offers two spots in the 2026 Candidates Tournament.
Responding to the comment, Gukesh, ever calm, composed, and polite, said, “I mean, first of all, obviously, Nodirbek Abdusattorov is a great player and he’s very much capable. But at this tournament, he can only qualify for the Candidates, so it’s one more step to become world champion.”
“But whoever it is, I am sure you know, deserves to be there and is very much capable of playing well. I am not really rooting for anybody; I just do my part as a researcher,” he added.
The Abdusattorov-Gukesh rivalry goes back a long way, with the Uzbek being one of the fiercest competitors not just for Gukesh, but for all the Indian youngsters R. Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi. Abdusattorov is the reason Team India B lost out on a gold medal at home in the 2022 Chess Olympiad.
“I’ve watched his games a lot and I kind of understand what he is aiming for during the game,” Abdusattorov had told The Indian Express before Gukesh became World Champion. “Although I love his playing style — very unique compared to any of the young players — and we have completely different styles, I feel I still understand his moves and what he tries to do because I watched a lot of his games and analysed his chess.”
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Gukesh’s hunger
In Uzbekistan, though Gukesh has no need to qualify for the Candidates, his decision to compete in the Grand Swiss shows his hunger to keep proving himself at major events.
“I’m happy to be back here in Samarkand. I was here in 2023 for the World Rapid and Blitz. It’s nice to be back. Although there’s no need for me to qualify (for the Candidates), I think this is still a great tournament. There are not many super-strong open Swiss tournaments. It’s an opportunity for me to play in a different format and prove myself,” he added.
The 19-year-old also spoke about how his practice for the event differed from closed tournaments, where invited players participate. “In Swiss tournaments, you need to win more games and take a bit more chances. I’m glad there will be a lot of hungry players and exciting games. Even though I’ve been playing a lot of closed tournaments, I’ll try to adjust my preparation for the open event here,” he said, explaining his reason for competing.
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