In a result that has sent shockwaves through the chess world, reigning world champion D. Gukesh suffered a stunning defeat at the hands of 12-year-old Sergey Sklokin during the third round of the FIDE World Blitz Championship 2025.
Despite Gukesh entering the match with a massive 228-point rating advantage, the young FIDE Master proved that the lightning-fast blitz format can humble even the greatest.
The match reached its breaking point on move 70 with both players in severe time trouble. Gukesh, playing with the black pieces and down a pawn, had only eight seconds left on his clock.
In a bid to simplify the game, Sklokin offered a rook exchange that likely would have led to a draw. However, Gukesh’s famous “play-to-win” spirit led him to decline trade, a decision that backfired instantly.
Within moves, the world champion lost a bishop and his final pawn forcing him to resign ten moves later.
Commentator Grandmaster Maurice Ashley described the move as the “blunder of the round,” remarking, “This blunder, we can all agree was pretty bad.” Ashley added, “We know Gukesh is a tremendous fighter and he hates draws but this was a little bit too much.”
Before the tournament, Gukesh had been modest about his chances, stating:
“Rapid and blitz events have been slightly less priority than classical events for me. I’m here just to play, you know, just experiment, enjoy.”
While he remains the youngest undisputed world champion in history, this loss serves as a reminder of the rising power of the next “engine-native” generation.
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