Prague Masters: Gukesh’s struggles end with consolation win; Aravindh ends joint 2nd, Divya Deshmukh finishes in 3rd place

Within the Challengers part, Divya Deshmukh, who used the occasion to sharpen her marketing campaign for the upcoming Girls’s Candidates later this month, ended third in the standings with a score acquire of 13. In distinction to Gukesh’s marketing campaign, Divya misplaced simply as soon as (to fellow Candidates contender Zhu Jiner) over 9 boards whereas successful twice. Divya’s match was exceptional as a result of seven of the ten gamers in the Challengers had been rated increased than her. At Prague, Divya continued her development of enjoying in occasions the place each female and male gamers had been competing somewhat than simply restricted to feminine gamers.

Zhu, who is taken into account the flagbearer of ladies’s chess in China, ended final in the Challengers occasion, which might be a byproduct of a participant who’s saving her finest prep for the Candidates in three weeks’ time.

ALSO READ | One other defeat for D Gukesh at Prague, this time to Aravindh, leaves him down at World No 20 spot

Final 12 months, Gukesh performed continuous in no less than 16 over the board occasions, together with exhibition ones just like the Checkmate: USA vs India occasion in Arlington. Now, after two under-par occasions in 2026, Gukesh indicated that he would take it simple on enjoying in occasions. He had already pulled out of the season-starting Tata Metal India Fast and Blitz occasion in Kolkata.

When requested by Chessbase India in an interview after his remaining spherical the place he’ll play subsequent, Gukesh mentioned: “Proper now, I’m simply going again residence. We’ll see later.”

The 12 months is among the most important ones for Gukesh, who will defend his world championship title on the end of the 12 months. He has dedicated to enjoying in the Norway Chess occasion from Could 25-June 5 in Oslo. However apart from that, little about his calendar is understood.

Gukesh admitted that the outcomes in Prague had given him a lot to ponder.

“Mainly I didn’t care in regards to the final spherical. It’s good that I performed a pleasant sport. Clearly most of it (what I’m feeling proper now) is disappointment in regards to the occasion,” Gukesh informed Chessbase India. “Clearly, with this efficiency, you can’t be joyful nevertheless it provides me some issues to consider.”

Over the course of the 9 rounds, Gukesh misplaced 16 score factors and was at World No 15 in the real-time rankings. Gukesh’s present score of 2732 is much under his peak score of 2794 which he achieved in October 2024, proper after main the Indian chess staff to an Olympiad gold.