American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura has shown great admiration for Indian chess prodigy D Gukesh following his impressive comeback win over Anish Giri in the opening round of the Tata Steel Masters in Wijk Aan Zee, Netherlands, on January 19. The match was particularly significant for Gukesh, as it marked his first game since becoming the World Chess Champion by defeating Ding Liren. This victory in the prestigious tournament was made even more remarkable by the fact that Gukesh had arrived in the Netherlands just hours before the game, following his receipt of the Khel Ratna award in India. Despite the immense challenges of long-distance travel, jet lag, and time zone adjustments, Gukesh demonstrated exceptional composure and skill to secure the victory.
While Gukesh's early play wasn't without its flaws, with an uncharacteristic blunder in the opening moves (misplaying the h3 move), the world champion’s ability to recover and mount a strong defense under time pressure was truly impressive. Giri capitalized on this error momentarily, gaining an advantageous position. However, Gukesh demonstrated his mental fortitude, switching gears and bouncing back to take control of the game. Nakamura, in his commentary on YouTube, applauded Gukesh’s resilience and determination, despite the unfortunate early blunder.
“Sure, Gukesh blundered with h3, but he did defend resiliently under time pressure. You have to give him a lot of credit for putting Anish to the test," Nakamura said. He acknowledged that Gukesh, under the pressure of time constraints, had been tested to his limits but still managed to prevail. Nakamura further remarked on Giri's inability to capitalize fully on Gukesh's mistake, which allowed the Indian grandmaster to recover and claim the win. "Unfortunately for Anish, he wasn’t up to the test. The world champion gets a win in his first classical game since his epic victory over Ding Liren in Singapore a couple of months ago. Exciting start to the tournament,” Nakamura added, emphasizing the significance of Gukesh’s win in his first tournament since being crowned World Champion.
Nakamura also reflected on the possible effects of Gukesh’s demanding travel schedule on his performance. Having been in India just the day before receiving the Khel Ratna award, Gukesh then flew into the Netherlands and arrived only hours before his match with Giri. Nakamura empathized with Gukesh's situation, highlighting that jet lag and fatigue could have played a part in his early missteps. "Gukesh was in India to receive one of the highest civilian awards from the government just yesterday, and today he flew into the game and arrived three hours ahead of the game being played. Let’s jump right into the action,” Nakamura noted, suggesting that the young grandmaster may have been feeling some effects of the long travel. He continued, acknowledging that Giri, although traditionally a strong contender at the Tata Steel Masters, might not have been able to perform his best in this particular match, which helped Gukesh secure the victory.
Nakamura’s words also emphasized the mental toughness required to recover from such circumstances, and how Gukesh’s ability to reset and focus under pressure led him to a remarkable win. "Gukesh was probably a little bit tired, probably a little bit jetlagged. Now for Anish, he is somebody who traditionally has done very well in this tournament but at times he has struggled outside of this event," Nakamura said. This commentary further highlighted Gukesh’s exceptional recovery from a tough start, and the mental strength required to prevail in such a high-level tournament setting.
Ultimately, Gukesh won the game in 42 moves, a testament to his tactical genius and ability to bounce back from adversity. His performance in this match showcased why he is the reigning world champion. Gukesh’s composure under time pressure, despite the early error and the distractions of travel, has cemented his reputation as one of the most promising players in the chess world. His resilience in this first-round match also signaled that he would be a force to be reckoned with as the tournament progresses.
For chess fans, Gukesh's performance was nothing short of inspiring, proving that even the most seasoned players can be caught off guard, and the true champions are those who can fight back from such setbacks. As the Tata Steel Masters continues, all eyes will be on Gukesh as he looks to build on this early success and challenge the world's best players in one of the most prestigious chess events on the calendar.
