Nepomniachtchi: Gukesh is vulnerable against top players

Russian Grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi has given a strong opinion on reigning world champion D Gukesh, saying the Indian teenager is currently vulnerable against almost every top player in the world.

Speaking on the Sardinia World Chess Festival 2026, Nepomniachtchi said Gukesh has struggled for consistency since becoming the youngest world champion in history in 2024.

“Based on what we saw from Gukesh last year, I believe nearly every top GM would have a very good chance in a match against him, to put it mildly. Because he just plays badly at times,” Nepomniachtchi told ChessBase India.

"Of course, there is always a chance of a bad tournament or a bad sequence, but for him it’s pretty much lost after the Candidates. I think the match against Ding was also very poor from both sides. But okay, the match itself is very special, it’s all about psychology, stamina, and so on."

The Russian GM also backed Javokhir Sindarov ahead of his 2026 World Championship clash with Gukesh.

The match, set for November, will become the youngest world title clash ever, with both players aged 20.

Nepomniachtchi believes Sindarov currently has the edge because of his recent form and higher rating.

“As for now, of course, Sindarov has like 50 more elo points and he’s clearly on a hot streak,” he said, though he added that form can quickly change before the title match.

Since becoming world champion in 2024, Gukesh’s performances have been closely analysed. While he has shown flashes of brilliance, he has also suffered poor tournaments and recently decided to take a break from classical chess to prepare for his title defence.

Meanwhile, Sindarov has enjoyed a remarkable rise, winning the 2026 Candidates tournament and the FIDE World Cup.