Overview
- Event organisers said Gukesh pulled out for personal reasons, confirming his absence from the Kolkata tournament.
- Nihal Sarin was named as the replacement and was praised by the tournament director for his strength in rapid and blitz formats.
- The tournament will run January 7–11 in Kolkata and will proceed with a field that includes Viswanathan Anand, Arjun Erigaisi, R. Praggnanandhaa, Wei Yi and Wesley So.
- Tournament director Dibyendu Barua described the withdrawal as a big setback for organisers and for fans who hoped to see the world champion play in the city.
- The anticipated meeting between Gukesh and Anand will not take place, and the change follows Gukesh’s mid‑table results at the World Rapid and Blitz in Doha.