skywritg.com – Today’s Pulse & News Briefings

The Global Chess League Season 3 player draft in Mumbai saw World Champion Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi unite with PBG Alaskan Knights, while Wesley So joined Mumba Masters. The league, featuring top international and Indian talents, is set to debut in India from December 13-24, 2025, at the Royal Opera House.

The FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 witnessed Anish Giri's triumph and Vaishali Rameshbabu's repeat victory, alongside Matthias Bluebaum's unexpected Candidates qualification. Despite Gukesh Dommaraju's stumble, the event highlighted India's mixed fortunes and the rise of young talents like America's Abhimanyu Mishra. Divya Deshmukh's fearless performance in the Open section also underscored the growing strength of women in chess, inspiring future participation.

At the FIDE Grand Swiss in Samarkand, Indian chess presents a contrasting picture. Nihal Sarin shines, securing his third consecutive win and joining the lead. Meanwhile, World Champion D Gukesh struggles, losing his third straight game and risking a drop from the top 10. Despite Nihal's success, he humbly credits Viswanathan Anand and Gukesh for India's chess boom.

D Gukesh, the world champion, faced another setback at the FIDE Grand Swiss, losing to Nikolas Theodorou on Tuesday after a previous defeat. Theodorou, surprised by Gukesh's opening, capitalised on a missed threefold repetition claim by Gukesh. Despite Gukesh's ambition to win with the White pieces, Theodorou secured the victory in 47 moves.

FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky refuted Hikaru Nakamura's claims that the Candidates' rating qualification spot was designed for Magnus Carlsen's potential return. Sutovsky clarified that the rule has existed for years and now benefits top players like Nakamura. He emphasised the spot ensures the inclusion of the world's best, not specifically targeting Carlsen, whose return is deemed unlikely.