D Gukesh returns to winning ways after 2026 schedule reset with victory over Harikrishna

D Gukesh secured his first win after taking the big call to step back from a hectic schedule, defeating fellow Indian Grandmaster Pentala Harikrishna at the Menorca Masters 2026 on Thursday.

Gukesh's victory came in the fourth round of the rapid tournament, immediately after he suffered a loss to compatriot Nihal Sarin.

Gukesh returns to winning ways

Playing with White pieces, the 19-year-old Indian chess star Gukesh beat Pentala Harikrishna in 54 moves. He then held Richard Rapport to a draw with Black pieces in the fifth round, with the game lasting for 74 moves.

Gukesh is currently second in the standings with 2.5/5 points, while Nihal Sarin leads the table with 3.5 points.

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Menorca Masters is a six-player rapid invitational chess tournament that is being played in a double round-robin format. With five more games to go, Gukesh will aim to clinch a few more wins and the trophy, which would be a timely boost for the world champion who has been forced to cut down on his schedule in 2026 due to prolonged loss of form.

Gukesh has not won a major tournament since becoming the youngest world champion at 18 in December 2024. The Chennai Grandmaster conquered the world title by winning the World Chess Championship match against Ding Liren. He will be defending his crown during the World Chess Championship match later this year.

After finishing joint-last at the Prague Chess Masters earlier this year, Gukesh announced in March that he is pulling out of the full Grand Chess Tour to focus more on training and recovery.

“My performance in the last few events has been quite disappointing, not just for me, but for all of you who support me,” Gukesh wrote on X. “In order to find my best form my team and I have decided that I should compete with slightly less intensity over the next few months. Consequently, we feel it is in my best interest to skip long events away from home to allow for more dedicated training time."