Chess Sensation Gukesh Withdraws from Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Citing Exhaustion; Vidit Gujrathi Named Replacement

D Gukesh will not be facing Magnus Carlsen at the upcoming Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour event in Las Vegas. The official lineup for the tournament, scheduled from July 16-20, was released last Tuesday, noticeably excluding the reigning World Champion.

D Gukesh, Vidit Gujrathi, Arjun Erigaisi, and R Praggnanandhaa represent India on the global chess stage.

Freestyle Chess co-founder and CEO Jan Henric Buettner revealed the reason for Gukesh's absence in an exclusive interview. "He said he’s exhausted and needs rest," Buettner stated. "His performances have not been that good at any Grand Slam. We were always expecting that he would decline to participate in the next event."

Initial Hesitation and Subsequent Withdrawal

Buettner elaborated on Gukesh's initial willingness to participate despite his performance in Paris. "Anyway, he had an invitation (for the Las Vegas leg). So after his not-so-good performance in Paris, he was still up for the task. He said, 'We're gonna come. I will come to Las Vegas,'" he recounted.

However, the demanding Norway Chess tournament proved to be the tipping point. "But then, there was Norway Chess. This exhausted him so much. Even I would be exhausted. He was so exhausted that I got a message. He said he's exhausted and would like to rest. He can't come to Las Vegas. Unfortunately, he needs rest. So, you know, that's understandable."

Vidit Gujrathi Steps In

Vidit Gujrathi has been formally included in the lineup as Gukesh's replacement. "So we invited Vidit again as a replacement. So Vidit will wear the red jacket of Gukesh this time in Vegas," Buettner confirmed.

In Freestyle Chess, players often sport distinctively colored jackets, adding a visual flair to the competition.

Gukesh's Freestyle Chess Performance

Gukesh's withdrawal comes as he strives for consistency in the Freestyle Chess circuit. After finishing eighth at Weissenhaus and eleventh in Paris, he held 11th place overall with just four FCC points. Following the Grenke Open, he slipped to 16th.

However, Gukesh showcased his talent at the Norway Chess tournament, finishing third behind Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana. He also secured victories against the top three FIDE-rated players: Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, and Arjun Erigaisi.

Las Vegas Event Details

The Las Vegas event marks the fourth stop of the 2025 Grand Slam Tour and Freestyle Chess’s debut in the United States. Hosted at the Wynn Las Vegas from July 16-20, the tournament will welcome a live audience and feature a prize pool of $750,000, with $200,000 awarded to the winner.

Other Developments

The Indian leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, initially scheduled for September 17–24 in New Delhi, has been canceled due to a lack of sponsors. Additionally, Jan Henric Buettner will step down as CEO on July 1, with COO Thomas Harsch succeeding him in daily operations. Buettner will transition to the role of Executive Chairman, focusing on strategy.