World chess champion D Gukesh found an amusing way to deal with an online troll after a playful exchange on social media took an unexpected turn.On Wednesday, the Indian grandmaster, who has faced increased scrutiny following a difficult run of results in recent times, shared a screenshot of the conversation on his Instagram story with the caption: “Haters are fun bro.”The exchange began when a user apparently sent Gukesh a message telling him it was “Time to retire bro”.Gukesh responded casually: “Thanks bro”.The user then appeared to change the tone of the conversation, asking the 20-year-old if they could have a game of chess.Gukesh played along with the joke, replying: “Sorry I’m retired bro.”The user then revealed the reason behind the unusual messages, admitting: “At that time I was just completing the dare my friends had given me.”
Screenshot of Gukesh’s post on Instagram
The light-hearted interaction comes at a time when Gukesh has been under the spotlight after a challenging period at the top level.The reigning world champion endured a difficult 2026 so far. And criticism has followed subsequently.The results have added to the pressure surrounding Gukesh as he prepares for his first World Championship title defence.In one of his recent interviews, Gukesh spoke openly about the expectations that come with being world champion and the pressure he puts on himself.He admitted that his desire to win, which has long been one of his biggest strengths, can sometimes work against him.The youngster also acknowledged that finding motivation after achieving his biggest goal has not always been easy.For now, though, Gukesh appears to be taking the online noise in his stride. Rather than reacting to the criticism, he chose to turn one troll’s dare into a joke and reminded his followers that even a world champion can have some fun with the haters.
