12-Year-Old Sergey Slokin Creates Sensation in Doha
A major upset shook the chess world at the FIDE World Blitz Championship 2025 in Doha. Indian grandmaster and reigning world champion D. Gukesh suffered a surprising defeat. He lost to 12-year-old Russian prodigy Sergey Slokin in the third round, leaving fans and experts stunned.
Time Pressure Turns the Game Around
Gukesh played with the black pieces and fought hard throughout the match. However, as the game progressed, severe time pressure changed everything. By the 70th move, Gukesh had only eight seconds left on the clock. At that critical moment, Slokin offered a rook exchange, which would likely have resulted in a draw.
Gukesh Rejects Draw, Pays Heavy Price
Instead of settling for a draw, Gukesh chose aggression. He rejected the offer and moved his rook to f4, aiming for victory. Unfortunately, that bold decision backfired. Within a few moves, Gukesh lost his bishop and final pawn. As a result, the position collapsed, and he resigned shortly after.
Experts React to Risky Decision
Renowned grandmaster Maurice Ashley commented on the game and praised Gukesh’s fighting spirit. However, he also pointed out that accepting the draw was the correct choice. According to Ashley, the world champion took unnecessary risks and paid a heavy price in a fast-paced format like blitz.
Blitz Chess Can Change Everything
Before the tournament, Gukesh stated that classical chess remains his priority. Still, he has recently focused more on rapid and blitz formats. Despite holding a much higher rating of 2628, this match proved that blitz chess depends heavily on split-second decisions.
While this loss may serve as a tough lesson for Gukesh, it marks a career-defining victory for young Slokin. Above all, the match once again showed how unpredictable and thrilling blitz chess can be.
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