Exclusive: Gukesh vs Carlsen not happening in Vegas; why is world champion not playing?

Chess fans hoping to see a showdown between World Champion D Gukesh and Magnus Carlsen in Las Vegas will be disappointed—Gukesh is sitting this one out, saying he’s drained after the grueling Norway Chess tournament. Instead, Vidit Gujrathi will step in, even wearing Gukesh’s signature red jacket as a quirky nod to the substitution. The high-stakes Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, with its $750K prize pool, is still on for July, but there’s more chess drama: the India leg in September is scrapped, and the event’s CEO is stepping down.