The fan following and craze for D Gukesh has been unbelievable, especially since he became the reigning World Champion in December last year. At the ongoing Chess World Cup 2025, too, fans have been in a state of meltdown whenever Gukesh has arrived and left the venue in Goa.
In one such video, which has gone viral on social media, Gukesh can be seen surrounded by six security guards, who lock arms to form a cage around him.
Also Read: Ex-India No. 1 GM Harikrishna questions Ian Nepomniachtchi's Chess World Cup criticism of conditions in Goa
Here is the video:
Gukesh has also emphasised the importance of participating in the World Cup. Speaking to FIDE, he said, "For me this World Cup is a prestigious event in itself, especially happening in India. I wouldn't miss it for anything."
{{/usCountry}}Gukesh has also emphasised the importance of participating in the World Cup. Speaking to FIDE, he said, "For me this World Cup is a prestigious event in itself, especially happening in India. I wouldn't miss it for anything."
{{/usCountry}}"It means a lot to me and actually I miss playing in India. Not many tournaments unfortunately and the last time I played in India was in 2023 at the Chennai Grandmasters. So its been almost two years and its been exciting for me. Always nice to not travel for the tournament," he added.
Gukesh is currently in action in Round 3, and the previous round saw some big eliminations. Wesley So, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Vassily Ivanchuk have been knocked out. Meanwhile, Nepomniachtchi was left fuming after his defeat to Diptayan Ghosh and checked out of his hotel within an hour after the match. The Russian GM also took to his Telegram channel and criticised the playing conditions in Goa. Even Faustino Oro has been eliminated, losing to Vidit Gujrathi. Other than Gukesh and Vidit, even R Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi are in action at Resort Rio.
Meanwhile, notable absentees are Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana, who decided to skip the tournament. Their absence has elevated Gukesh to the top seed, with Erigaisi and Praggnanandhaa as the second and third seeds, respectively.