Didn’t expect D Gukesh to quit so easily. I wouldn't have done it: Fabio Caruana's dig after beating World Champion

"I would consider resigning as Black, although maybe I wouldn’t do it quite so early," said Fabio Caruana after beating D Gukesh in just 18 moves.

Fabio Caruana was taken aback when world champion D Gukesh resigned in the second quarterfinal in just 18 moves to bow out of the Freestyle Grand Slam chess. The man from United States said he probably would not have done it so early into the game. “I didn’t expect it exactly at that moment but I also didn’t understand what he could possibly do. I would consider resigning as Black although maybe I wouldn’t do it quite so early," Caruana, who beat Gukesh twice, was quoted by Freestyle Chess

India's D Gukesh(AP)

“I was really calm before the game because I didn’t see this as a particularly challenging for the white side in my current situation,” he added.

Having lost the first game with white pieces, Gukesh did not last long against the American Grandmaster in a must-win tie with Caruana finishing the contest in a mere 18 moves.

“I think it really comes down to yesterday. The game today was typical for someone who is trying to create chances to win but doing it a bit too early on. It was too violent an approach, 5…f5, it’s probably not gonna work out. It would be very unusual that you can sac a pawn so directly," Caruana said.

Gukesh will now fight for the last-four spots.

The freestyle chess is built around 960 random positions, shifting the initial position of the pieces from the base rank while the pawns remain intact.

The term came from an idea by former great Bobby Fischer who was the first to advocate it. Given the money that has come in to support the new format, it could well be the future of chess.

Gukesh blundered a pawn out of the opening.

Caruana is someone who has played this variant for a while, and it took the Italian-turned-American 15 moves to find his way into normal chess position, where he was a pawn plus.

Gukesh decided not to challenge Caruana in a lost position and shook hands.