Gukesh Faces Challenges in Freestyle Chess Grand Tour Opener

World chess champion Dommaraju Gukesh had a difficult start at the Freestyle Chess Grand Tour in Weissenhauss, Germany. The young Indian grandmaster failed to secure a victory in his five games on the opening day, finishing in sixth place with 2 points.

Gukesh’s sole defeat came against Alireza Firouzja in round two. The French player applied significant pressure in the endgame, leading to a critical error by Gukesh that resulted in a forced checkmate. Gukesh’s other matches ended in draws, including games against Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Levon Aronian, Javokhir Sindarov, and Hikaru Nakamura.

The tournament’s current leaders are Fabiano Caruana and Javokhir Sindarov, both with 4.5 points out of 5. Magnus Carlsen, the five-time world champion, shares Gukesh’s score after a day of mixed results.

The competition continues tomorrow with four more rounds, after which two players will be eliminated. The remaining eight will advance to the quarterfinals, where the top four performers will have the privilege of choosing their opponents.

Standings after Day One:

1. Fabiano Caruana – 4.5 points
2. Javokhir Sindarov – 4.5 points
3. Alireza Firouzja – 3.5 points
4. Nodirbek Abdusattorov – 2.5 points
5. Magnus Carlsen – 2 points
6. Dommaraju Gukesh – 2 points
7. Hikaru Nakamura – 2 points
8. Vincent Keymer – 2 points
9. Vladimir Fedoseev – 1 point
10. Levon Aronian – 1 point

The Freestyle Chess Grand Tour continues to showcase top-level chess, with players adapting to the unique format and high-stakes competition.