World chess champion D. Gukesh has decided to reduce his tournament schedule in 2026 after a string of disappointing results. He will play only two Grand Chess Tour events and skip longer tournaments to focus on training and preparation ahead of defending his world title later this year.

Chennai: Reigning world champion D. Gukesh on Tuesday decided to scale back his tournament schedule following a disappointing performance this season, opting to play only two Grand Chess Tour events in 2026 to prioritise training and preparation for his title defence.

Gukesh's inconsistent run has seen him endure an early exit as top seed at the Chess World Cup in November 2025 at home. It was followed by lowly finishes at the World Rapid and Blitz Championships in December, a 10th-place result after tie-breaks at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament, and a ninth-place result at the recently concluded Prague Chess Festival.

"My performance in the last few events has been quite disappointing, not just for me, but for all of you who support me," wrote Gukesh on 'X', something he does not do very often.

"In order to find my best form my team and I have decided that I should compete with slightly less intensity over the next few months. Consequently, we feel it is in my best interest to skip long events away from home to allow for more dedicated training time," he added, indicating his priority from now on would be preparing to defend the world title he won by beating Ding Liren of China in Singapore in 2024.