On a day when world champion D Gukesh, representing PBG Alaskan Knights, held FYERS American Gambits’ Hikaru Nakamura to a draw on day 1 of the Global Chess League, Fabiano Caruana said that the world champion was clearly not the best player in the world at the moment.
This has been Gukesh’s year of woe, with the teenager not winning any tournament since defeating Ding Liren for the crown in Singapore a year ago. The wretched run of form has led to plenty of comparisons between Gukesh and his Chinese predecessor, who also went through a slump after claiming the throne.
“I don’t think it’s the same situation. Gukesh is still playing at the top level. Just that you cannot say that he’s the clear no.1 in the world right now. But that’s also normal: that the world champion is not necessarily the clear no.1 in the world. With Ding, it was different. He was just in very bad shape. Gukesh is performing much better than Ding,” Caruana, who represents Alpine SG Pipers, told journalists after his defeat to Alireza Firouzja.
“But it’s true he (Gukesh) has not had a very good year. Maybe next year will be better. I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes into very good shape next year. But certainly after the world championship, it’s not been his best year.”
Caruana is one of the eight men who will fight it out in the Candidates tournament early next year for a shot at challenging Gukesh for the world championship. His team, the Pipers, has two more ‘Candidates’: India’s R Praggnanandhaa and Dutchman Anish Giri.
Talking about Pragg’s chances of winning the Candidates and making it to the world championship, Caruana said: “Praggnanandhaa is certainly among one of the favourites in the Candidates. I would not give any one player huge chances. But he definitely has a realistic chance, especially with some experience behind him.”
Caruana will head into the Candidates as one of the hot favourites. After all, he’s played in the caldron of pressure that is a world championship before, when he lost to Magnus Carlsen in 2018. He has been a frequent challenger at the Candidates tournaments since then, including the 2024 edition, where Gukesh won and earned his shot at the crown.
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Talking about his own chances of making it to the World Championship this year, Caruana said, “By rating, I guess I will be among the favourites. But still I think there will be a lot of tough games. No matter what the field is, you’re not going to have an easy fight in the Candidates. Everyone prepares super hard. Everyone is very capable. You have some guys playing at the top level for many years now. I will try my best at the next Candidates, but there are no guarantees. Maybe not even a huge chance. It’s so many players who can win.”
Asked what Carlsen’s abdication of the throne and his unwillingness to play in the World Championship means for his own career, Caruana said: “I don’t think it changes much for me. I still try to qualify for the World Championship regardless of whether he is playing in it or not.”
GCL DAY 1 RESULTS:
upGrad Mumba Masters beat Ganges Grandmasters 17–4
Triveni Continental Kings beat Alpine SG Pipers 9-7
FYERS American Gambits beat PBG Alaskan Knights 8-5
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