Sports

IIE DIGITAL DESK : D. Gukesh finished the Rapid section of the Grand Chess Tour in Saint Louis on a high note, converting a shaky start into a statement win by outplaying Fabiano Caruana in the final round. The Indian grandmaster’s late surge lifted him from sixth to fourth in the standings, ending the day with 10 points as the tournament prepared to move into the Blitz segment.

Gukesh’s day had everything of a roller-coaster: a loss to Leinier Dominguez in the opening of the final set, followed by a gritty victory over Wesley So and then a tactical triumph over Caruana. The win over Caruana was especially significant because it marked the American’s only defeat in the event so far and completed Gukesh’s fourth career victory in a row against the former world championship contender. Gukesh described the match as a fight for survival for long stretches, saying the game “could have been horrible” before it turned in his favour.

The crucial moment came after Gukesh allowed an f4 break, which he later called “just… too bad” at the time, but he managed to regroup and find activity for his pieces. He was particularly pleased to get his rook up the board — a manoeuvre that pushed the piece to the sixth rank and, in his view, sealed the success of his recovery. Those tactical choices and his willingness to keep fighting under pressure underlined the kind of resilience that has become his trademark. 

In the overall Rapid standings, Fabiano Caruana led with 14 points, Levon Aronian followed with 13, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave had 11, and Gukesh sat on 10. Behind him, Dominguez, Wesley So and Nodirbek Abdusattorov shared ninth place with nine points apiece. With the Blitz portion looming, Gukesh said he hoped to carry forward the momentum, noting that previous Rapid & Blitz events — such as Zagreb — had not gone his way and that Saint Louis presented a chance to make amends. 

Gukesh’s recovery illustrated both the unpredictability and competitive depth of modern elite chess: a single error can open doors, but persistent, resourceful play can still convert peril into victory. As the tournament shifts formats, the pressure — and the opportunity — intensifies: the Blitz rounds will test speed and nerve, and Gukesh will be aiming to translate his late Rapid form into a strong overall finish.