Every match feels like a World Championship now: D Gukesh

After becoming the youngest world chess champion in history, D Gukesh is learning that the real challenge begins after the crown. Expectations, from others and himself, have grown sharper, even as he experiments, absorbs losses, and, more importantly, prepares to defend his title. In an exclusive interview with TOI, the 18-year-old reflects on pressure, growth, and why every game now carries the weight of a world championship.In the days after becoming world champion, what went through your mind? Did your life feel different? The whole journey in 2024 — the Candidates, the Olympiad, and the World Championship — was very successful and very beautiful, but it also changed a lot of things around me. There were a lot of expectations and other things to deal with. The last year after the match has had a lot of positives, but also challenges. Results dipped a bit, but there has been a lot of growth, constant effort and learning. The expectations might be the biggest challenge I've faced yet. But I’ve dealt with challenges before and managed to grow from them, so I’m confident it will be the same again.How long did it take for the reality of becoming world champion to sink in?I don’t really know what “sinking in” means. The month after the match was very hectic, and there wasn’t much time for myself. But once I started playing tournaments again, it probably hit me.When you replay the match now, which moment stands out the most?The moment I was most proud of myself was during the streak of seven draws. I was getting frustrated and starting to panic. Then my coach, Gaju (Polish Grandmaster Grzegorz Gajewski), and I had a good conversation and changed a few things. I really liked how I managed to compose myself. Considering it was my first World Championship and the expectations I was dealing with, I was very happy with the mental strength I showed.Did your temperament during the match surprise you?I had prepared mentally for many scenarios, but you can never fully prepare for a World Championship. I was fighting tiredness, doubts and fear. At that time, I didn’t think too much about it. But when I reflected later, I was quite happy with how I handled everything.Has your preparation changed over the past year, especially with all eyes now on you?Last year, 2025, was mostly about experimenting. We played a lot of rapid and blitz and a lot of events that pushed me out of my comfort zone. We tried different things and learned a lot in the process. One conscious focus was to improve my rapid and blitz, and there were positives — Zagreb was a huge positive.Coming into 2026, which is a World Championship year, the focus shifts back strongly to classical chess. This year is about using all the lessons from last year and directing them towards the main goal.Were there losses that were more important for your growth than wins?Definitely. Considering my age, even though I've been at the top for a few years, I still need a lot of experience compared to players like Fabiano Caruana and others. Finding myself was a major part of what I tried to do in 2025 because I had the space to test different things. In general, losses teach you more than wins. Confidence can take a hit when things go badly, but when you know what you're doing, you can always learn from it and get better.At Norway Chess last year, there was that viral moment with Magnus Carlsen. Did you look at it or the memes that followed?When it happened, I didn’t really realise it because I was mostly shocked by the way the game turned around. I didn’t pay much attention to him banging the table at that moment. Later, when I saw the videos and memes, I laughed quite a bit.Have expectations changed after becoming the world champion? From others and from yourself?Yes, for sure. The biggest expectations actually come from within myself, in terms of the quality of my play and performance, and handling that has been a challenge. I’m not very active on social media, but you still hear things. Every match feels like a world championship now. Even something like a Titled Tuesday game gets analysed heavily, which I find funny. At some point, I realised there’s no point listening to outside noise. Instead of seeing it as pressure, I see it as a challenge.I've experienced similar shifts before, like when I became a Grandmaster. I struggled for a while and then managed to find my way through it. I'm sure it will be the same again.With so much seriousness around chess, how do you unwind and manage your time?I do try to take time off. I like staying active and playing regularly, so I don’t enjoy very long breaks. I go on vacations and spend time with family and friends whenever possible. I've had enough time to wind down between tournaments and training sessions, and managing that balance will be important this year.How does it feel to be named Titan of the Year, and to see Indian brands supporting chess?It’s obviously a huge honour. Being named Titan of the Year is very special, both personally and because it shows chess is getting more spotlight. I’m really happy that major Indian brands are supporting chess. The support Indian chess has received over the last few years has been very motivating, and I'm glad to be part of it.