Gukesh defends Ding Liren against underperformance claims at Chennai event
D. Gukesh, the youngest World Chess Champion, announced he will not compete in the upcoming FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship in New York. He confirmed his exclusion during a ceremony in Chennai. Gukesh defended Ding Liren against allegations of deliberate underperformance in their final match. He emphasized that high-level competition can lead to mistakes, especially after intense preparation. Gukesh praised his training team, including his coach Grzegorz Gajewski and mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton, for their support during his championship journey. He acknowledged their contributions to his success.