Gukesh’s coach defends world champion, hits back at Kasparov, Carlsen, Nepo: 'He has outperformed all of them'

Gukesh Dommaraju’s coach, Grzegorz Gajewski, has come out strongly in defence of the 20-year-old chess World Champion amid growing criticism over his recent dip in form since winning the title in 2024.

The 20-year-old Indian chess sensation, who became the youngest World Champion in history after defeating Ding Liren in the 2024 title match at 18, has faced questions from several legends and top players after a series of below-par results in recent tournaments. However, Gajewski believes much of the criticism is unfair and emotionally driven.

Gukesh's coach slams Kasparov and Co

Gajewski directly addressed comments coming from some of the game’s biggest names, including Garry Kasparov and Ian Nepomniachtchi, suggesting that the backlash is partly due to their frustration. While Gukesh broke Kasparov’s record to become the youngest champion in history at 18, Nepo has been trying to win the title for a long time but has not been able to get there, with the Indian reaching the summit before him.

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“Garry Kasparov, Magnus Carlsen, Anatoly Karpov and others, they are all great players. They have egos and Gukesh is a young kid who has, in a way, outperformed all of them. I don’t make any claims that he’s better than any of them but he did achieve something they never achieved. I get that Garry must be angry that his record was broken. I think the game is just changing,” Gajewski told Hindustan Times.

Gajewski gives Nepo a reality check

The Polish coach also expressed sympathy for Nepomniachtchi, who has fallen short in World Championship matches twice despite multiple strong Candidates performances. “I also feel for Nepo. He was so close to becoming the World Champion and he’s been working so hard for so many years to get there. And then these kids just come and take it,” he said.

“The first time Gukesh got a chance to play the Candidates, he won it right away. Then he became world champion right away, beating Ding, who Nepo was not able to overcome. Then Sindarov comes and he crushes the Candidates like it’s a piece of cake. So I get where they’re coming from. But you just have to make peace with reality,” Gajewski explained.

Gukesh defeated Ding Liren in a tightly contested match in 2024 to win the title. He is set to defend his title against the 2026 Candidates winner, Javokhir Sindarov, later this year. However, the Indian GM's form has been a major cause of concern ahead of the title defence. He is currently competing in the Norway Chess 2026, where he is struggling at the bottom of the standings after four rounds.