CHENNAI: At the recent FIDE Grand Swiss tournament in Samarkand, world champion D Gukesh had a turbulent time. A hat-trick of defeats midway through the event left him visibly shaken, but he responded with wins in his last two games to finish on six points from 11 rounds. But the late rally couldn’t undo the damage. The 19-year-old from Chennai dropped 16 Elo rating points and slipped out of the top 10 in live ratings. Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand said Gukesh’s Samarkand struggle showed he is going through a “bumpy time” and is still learning to carry the crown. “In some games, he was overstepping the mark by trying to go for the win. But he’s also adjusting, struggling, and the chess scene is very competitive now. I think he’s getting used to his new role as world cha

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