Freestyle is exciting, but classical chess holds supreme value: D Gukesh

Indian chess sensation and reigning world champion D Gukesh has expressed his willingness to compete across all formats of the game but firmly believes that classical chess will always hold the highest significance.

While freestyle chess has brought fresh excitement to the sport, Gukesh believes the rich history and legacy of classical chess give it an unmatched value.

Speaking at the India Today Conclave 2025, Gukesh shared his thoughts on the ongoing evolution of chess and the emergence of the freestyle format. However, he asserted that classical chess will remain at the core of the sport despite the growing popularity of freestyle.

"Freestyle is exciting, and I'm happy to play it. But it's too early to say where it's going. We've only had two serious freestyle tournaments so far," Gukesh said. "I do hope freestyle grows big, but I don't think it will ever overshadow classical chess. The World Championship cycle and the legacy behind it give classical chess more value."

Gukesh, who became world champion after dethroning Ding Liren last year, has confirmed his participation in the Paris leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, scheduled from April 7-14. The tournament boasts a massive prize pool of $750,000 and will see some of the world's best players, including Magnus Carlsen, competing

The Indian Grandmaster acknowledged that freestyle chess, which allows players to start with randomized positions, has brought a new dimension to the sport but maintained that classical chess remains the heart of the game.

"Freestyle is a good addition to classical, rapid, and blitz formats. I'm open to all, but I don't see freestyle surpassing Standard Chess in terms of importance. The World Championship is still the most prestigious event," Gukesh added.