World Champion Gukesh’s Rare Titled Tuesday Appearance Sparks Buzz Despite 18th-Place Finish

In a rare foray into the online blitz chess world, reigning world champion Gukesh D surprised fans by participating in this week’s Early Titled Tuesday tournament on Chess.com, one of the most competitive online arenas for titled players. Although he finished 18th with a respectable 8/11 score, the appearance itself made headlines and lit up forums.

Gukesh, who usually opts for classical over-the-board (OTB) events where his deep, methodical style shines, struggled slightly in the rapid-fire blitz format. He lost three games: to International Master LR Srihari, blitz legend Hikaru Nakamura, and Iranian grandmaster Parham Maghsoodloo, but notched notable wins over elite names like Alexey Sarana and Jan-Krzysztof Duda, the latter being one of his seconds during his World Championship run.

“Rather shockingly, one of the rare occurrences is seeing current world chess champion Gukesh actually playing in a Titled Tuesday event,” said Hikaru Nakamura in his post-tournament YouTube recap. The American grandmaster, who took home his 105th Titled Tuesday title, praised Gukesh’s participation despite the result.

Rare but Not Unprecedented

While many assumed this was Gukesh’s first Titled Tuesday, users on Reddit quickly pointed out that he had played the event 4 months ago, even finishing joint first with 9.5/11 in a previous edition, narrowly losing on tiebreaks to Javokhir Sindarov.

One user commented, “His mouse game is sloppy, but he can play early. Only Nihal [Sarin] manages the late ones; it’s too late in India.” Indeed, Gukesh’s participation in the Early edition (ending around 11 PM IST) makes practical sense given the time zones.

Another fan noted, “One of the losses today was due to a mouse slip.” Others chimed in to celebrate his willingness to push himself in unfamiliar territory: “This is how he gets better at the intuitive side of the game.”

Style vs. Speed

Gukesh’s reluctance to participate in blitz and online formats has been well-documented. In an interview with GothamChess, the teenage prodigy admitted that online chess lacks the intensity he craves from in-person events. That may explain why blitz hasn’t been his strongest suit, as evidenced in his middling performance at the recent SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia event.

Still, fans were excited to see the young champion diversify his game.

“Yeah, it’s great to see him improve in all the formats,” wrote one Reddit user. “Hoping for his return in the next Freestyle Chess event too.”

What’s Next?

The Titled Tuesday tournament, hosted weekly by Chess.com, offers a modest $1,000 prize for the winner but massive bragging rights in the online community. Regulars like Nakamura and Magnus Carlsen often use it as a testing ground for creativity and speed, especially during downtime between classical tournaments.

As for Gukesh, whether this marks a one-off appearance or the beginning of a broader venture into online formats remains to be seen. But if nothing else, his presence alone electrified the event and reminded the chess world that even the top players are still learning, experimenting, and growing.

And fans? They’re here for it.

“I’m much older than Gukesh, but he inspires me to do better. A credit to his parents!” one Redditor summed up.