India, Sept. 13 -- D Gukesh has been in poor and erratic form since clinching the World Championship title in December last year. The Indian GM became the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, but he has been facing stiff competition from his opponents. He began 2025 on a strong note, coming second at the Tata Chess Masters. But since then, it has been an up-and-down experience for him.

At the ongoing FIDE Grand Swiss in Samarkand, he suffered three consecutive losses, including defeats to 16-year-olds Abhimanyu Mishra and Ediz Gurel.

On Friday, he was held by Divya Deshmukh in a six-hour marathon match, which ended in a draw. The Women's World Cup winner outfoxed Gukesh, who had the advantage, and he finally shook hands for a draw.

The ...