World chess champion D Gukesh showed that he can deliver a sharp comeback off the chessboard too after responding to an online troll with a perfectly timed dose of humour. The exchange began when a social media user told the Indian grandmaster that it was “time to retire”. Rather than taking the comment seriously, Gukesh played along and replied, “Thanks bro.” The interaction took another turn when the user asked him to play a chess match, giving Gukesh the perfect opportunity to turn the joke around.
“Sorry I’m retired bro,” Gukesh replied, leaving the troll with an unexpected response. The person later explained that the message was part of a dare from a friend, but Gukesh had already shared the exchange with his followers, turning the interaction into a light-hearted social media moment. He shared the screenshot of the chat on Instagram Story and captioned it, "Haters are fun bro".
The incident offered fans a glimpse of the 20-year-old’s playful side away from competitive chess. Known for his calm and focused approach over the board, Gukesh showed that he can also handle online banter without getting drawn into unnecessary confrontation. His short, witty response quickly caught attention, with fans enjoying the irony of a reigning world champion joking about being “retired”.
“I don’t believe in favourites”: D Gukesh opens up ahead of World Championship title defence in World Chess Championship
D Gukesh is preparing for the biggest challenge of his career as he gets set to defend his World Chess Championship title against Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov later this year. The Indian grandmaster became the youngest world champion at 18, defeating Ding Liren in 2024. However, his form since that historic triumph has been inconsistent. Gukesh finished last at Norway Chess and was unable to win a single game at the Chennai Grand Masters, a sharp contrast to the run of success that saw him win the Candidates, Olympic gold and the world title.
Despite the difficult stretch, Gukesh has refused to get caught up in predictions surrounding his upcoming title defence. Speaking about the match against Sindarov, he said, “As usual, I don’t believe in favourites. Whoever goes to the match and gives their best on the given day will win. So my focus is on bringing myself as much as possible, bringing my best out there. And if it’s enough, it’s great. Otherwise, it’s something to improve on.” Gukesh will face Sindarov in Geneva from November 25 to December 15, with the Uzbek challenger arriving as the 2026 Candidates winner.
