D Gukesh keeps shedding, Nihal Sarin keeps successful: Indian chess confronts Janus paradox at FIDE Grand Swiss | Chess News

Nihal Sarin and D Gukesh have moved in distinction instructions at FIDE Grand Swiss – one successful three in a row and the opposite three straight losses. (Image: Chessbase India/FIDE)

NEW DELHI: Going into the remainder day on Wednesday, Indian Grandmaster (GM) Nihal Sarin had outclassed Polish GM Szymon Gumularz in simply 22 strikes. Asked about his position in India’s chess growth following the sport, the 21-year-old took a short pause earlier than replying with disarming humility: “Umm... My role is really not much.”He credited two names as a substitute, “It really comes down to one individual: Viswanathan Anand… And also now Gukesh winning the World Championship, it’s creating a massive boom. Well, so my role is nothing for now, but I hope to.”Indian chess, nevertheless, is witnessing a curious duality at the continued FIDE Grand Swiss in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with Nihal rising because the nation’s new flag-bearer, whereas D Gukesh seems a pale shadow of himself. The distinction mirrors Janus, the Roman god with two faces, one wanting again at the previous, the opposite gazing into the longer term.The curious case of D GukeshFor Gukesh, the 2025 Grand Swiss has been a nightmare, a fall from grace that has taken many abruptly. Maurice Ashley, the primary Black GM and presenter throughout Gukesh’s World Championship triumph, echoed the final sentiment on X: “What is going on with Gukesh? This is not him.”The 19-year-old misplaced his third straight recreation on Thursday, this time to 16-year-old Turkish prodigy Ediz Gurel.Playing black in Round 6, Gukesh entered the Caro-Kann Defence (Advance, Tal variation). By transfer 30, Gukesh had carved out a transparent benefit, and by transfer 45, a draw appeared the more than likely end result.But on transfer 46, he erred fatally by capturing Gurel’s pawn on a3 together with his bishop.That single misstep swung the stability, permitting the Turkish prodigy to grab the initiative. Six strikes later, Gukesh was left with no escape and resigned on transfer 52The defeats have price him dearly in stay ranking factors, and the youngest-ever World Champion now dangers dropping out of the world’s high 10.Nihal Sarin not a pace chess buff anymore?While Gukesh continued to combat together with his poor run of type, Sarin defeated Iran’s No. 1 Parham Maghsoodloo to notch up his third win on the trot.Against Maghsoodloo, Nihal, with the white items, steered the sport into the Slav Defence (Exchange, Symmetrical, Trifunović variation).“Exchange is something I have not played before,” he informed ChessBase India after the Round 6 recreation. “I was just hoping not to walk into his preparation. I just thought I would think over the board and just try to play the positions somehow.”The contest went deep into time bother, each gamers below 5 minutes by transfer 30.It was right here that Nihal’s speed-chess instincts kicked in. On transfer 36, he sacrificed a rook (36.Rxf6 gxf6), setting the stage for Parham’s deadly blunder with 37…Rxb3. By transfer 42, the Iranian had resigned, handing Nihal his third consecutive win, subsequently becoming a member of the lead with 5.5 factors out of seven.After the win over the Iranian, he was as soon as once more requested to rethink his position in India’s chess growth. But Nihal deflected, “No, of course, not! One game and one tournament is not going to (laughs).”With four rounds left, Gukesh, on three points, can still salvage pride, though the best he can manage is 7 points.On Friday, he faces compatriot and Women’s World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh in a mouth-watering encounter, while Nihal takes on Germany’s Matthias Bluebaum, who has already beaten both R Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi in Samarkand.