NEW DELHI: Two years ago, when Domaraju Gokesh stormed the candidates in Toronto, the chess world hailed it as a miracle. By the time he eliminated Ding Liren in Singapore to become the youngest ever world champion, that “miracle” had become something else entirely, more like a seismic shift.Yet, as the marathon to find his next challenger begins in Cyprus this week, there is an eerie silence over the Indian camp.
Despite Gokesh’s recent admission that he would not mind an all-Indian matchup against R Praganandha for the title, the pre-tournament buzz indicates that the Indians are not heavy favorites in both the Open and Women’s categories.American Wall: Why Nakamura and Kirwana Lead?The main reason for the upset expectations is the sheer mathematical dominance of the American pair, World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura and World No. 3 Fabiano Caruana.In the era of teenage events, veterans have reorganized. Nakamura, at 38, is a nerd by nature, maintaining a rating of more than 2,800 while balancing a full-time streaming career.
“Nakamura’s excellent potential cannot be ruled out,” veteran grandmaster Praveen Thapse told TimesofIndia.com. “He’s the only player to put above 2800 in all those years. Nakamura is a serious contender, especially because of his finesse in early setups against certain players.”The 33-year-old Caruana presents a different kind of obstacle with her “invincible” factor.“He’s very solid,” Thipse noted. “He doesn’t necessarily want to win in the opener, but he’s always on solid ground. It’s possible that Kirwana is undefeated in the event. The only problem is that he can score high enough.”The Prague puzzleWhile the world waits for Praganandha to make his final leap, recent months have represented a period of stability rather than triumph. After a blistering run in the first half of 2025, the Chennai prodigy found the air much thinner during the latter half of the year. And his start to 2026 didn’t bring much positivity either.“Pragnandha had very good years, but lately, he hasn’t really been good,” Thipse observes. To win over the candidates, Prague must return to its roots as a cold-blooded aggressor.
“He has to focus on taking the initiative with the white pieces. His strength is mainly attacking against the enemy king… He is good at strategy and combination,” added the veteran GM.The challenge for the 20-year-old Indian is tactical bravery. In a field that includes Wee Yee and the unpredictable Javakhir Sindaroff, who Thapse warned “can cause problems but has a habit of making simple mistakes”, Praganandha cannot afford to play for a safe draw if he is to realize that dream of an all-India World Championship match.Women’s Field: Duya Deshmukhon the edge ofIf the open section feels like a climb, women’s candidates offer a bright silver lining. With the legendary Konero Hampi pulling out due to security concerns in West Asia, the spotlight has shifted entirely to 20-year-old World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh and 24-year-old Vaishali Ramesh Babu, winner of the 2025 Women’s Grand Prix.Despite being ranked lower than top seed Zhou Genner, Divya has a psychological edge that most female players lack, as she regularly hunts in the open (male-dominated) circuit.
Thapse remarked that “the wisdom Divya has shown in playing against the men has made her very strong against the best defences.” “When you are playing a strong field, you have to be able to deal with good defence. In the past, no Indian other than Hampi had beaten Chinese players in a match, but 2025 was different. Divya and Hampi beat four Chinese players between them.”Thipse believes the title is a straight shot: “I’d say expecting the top spot to go to either Zhou Jenner or Divya. Vaishali has an outside chance, but maybe only for second or third,” he added.As the clocks tick down on Saturday, the narrative is clear. The “Gokesh effect” has made the world wary of Indian prodigies, but it has also forced the old guard to sharpen their steel.For Nakamura and Caruana, this is likely their last realistic shot at a world championship match before the doors to the next generation are closed.Also read: Koniro Hampi Special: ‘Will FIDE hold tournament in Kashmir?’For India, the task is to prove that Gokesh was not a single miracle, but the first of many.Whether Praganandha can find his attacking stride or Divya can bring down the Chinese wall, the next three weeks in Cyprus will decide whether the World Championship is an internal India affair or a global tug-of-war.
