The trials and tribulations of being World Champion at an Olympiad are on full display. But two days can make quite a difference.
GM Gukesh D, the current chess king, briefly dropped below the 2700 rating barrier after being held by 2384-rated IM Satria Duta Cahaya in Round 2 of the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Samarkand.
Now he is back above it—and beginning to look considerably more like himself.
Gukesh followed his Round 3 victory over Italian GM Sabino Brunello by beating former World Championship challenger GM Alexei Shirov on Saturday as defending champions India defeated Spain 3-1.
The 20-year-old now has 3.5/4 and has pushed his live rating back above 2700.
It is an encouraging turnaround less than two months before Gukesh begins the defence of his world title against Uzbekistan's GM Javokhir Sindarov in Geneva.
Against Shirov, Gukesh took control early.
Playing White against the Sicilian Taimanov, he prevented the 54-year-old veteran from castling and built an attack against the exposed black king.
Shirov eventually gave up a rook for a bishop in an attempt to relieve the pressure, but Gukesh opened the centre and converted comfortably, forcing resignation after 42 moves.
ChessBase India declared: "The World Champion is back in form."
Gukesh arrived in Samarkand after a difficult year and, unusually for a reigning world champion, is playing on India's fourth board behind GM Praggnanandhaa R, GM Arjun Erigaisi and GM Nihal Sarin.
He has since revealed the board order was his own suggestion, saying his teammates had been performing better recently and he believed it gave India the best chance of retaining the title.
His own tournament is now gathering pace.
After beating Thailand's FM Tinnakrit Arunnuntapanich in Round 1, Gukesh's draw against Cahaya cost him enough rating points to fall below 2700 for the first time since 2022.
But Brunello was beaten in Round 3 and Shirov followed a day later.
Arjun also recorded his first win of the tournament against GM Maksim Chigaev as India overcame Spain, while Praggnanandhaa and Nihal drew.
India have a perfect eight match points from four rounds and face the Netherlands in Round 5.
For Gukesh, the turnaround has been rapid.
On Thursday, he was below 2700. Two wins later, the world champion is back above it—and beginning to look dangerous again.