Chess | Pranesh bounces back to stun Gukesh
Nineteen-year-old M. Pranesh defeated reigning World Champion D. Gukesh in the sixth round of the Chennai Grand Masters. This victory marks a significant career milestone for Pranesh while Gukesh continues to struggle in the tournament.
Why it matters
The match highlights the competitive volatility in elite chess and the pressure faced by the current World Champion.
It is not every day that you beat a reigning World champion, and that too from a losing position!
M. Pranesh, playing with white pieces, bounced back after finding himself in trouble to shock D. Gukesh in the sixth round of the Chennai Grand Masters at The Westin Chennai on Tuesday.
The 39-move victory for the 19-year-old pushed his tally to three points while his compatriot stayed at the bottom with 1.5 points.
Overnight joint leader Arjun Erigaisi went down to Nihal Sarin in 61 moves while France’s Alireza Firouzja was back in sole lead following a draw against Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan.
Gukesh, whose struggles seem to be multiplying with each passing game and tournament, continued to sink further. It was his third defeat in the tournament.
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