Young Indian Chess Prodigy Challenges World Champion from China for Title
Gukesh D, the talented Indian chess prodigy, made history by winning the men's Candidates Tournament in Toronto, Canada, earning the opportunity to challenge the reigning world champion from China for the coveted title.
Teenage Indian chess prodigy Gukesh Dommaraju, also known as Gukesh D, made history by becoming the youngest player to win the men's Candidates Tournament in Toronto, Canada on Sunday.
This impressive victory now positions the 17-year-old grandmaster for a chance to challenge current world champion Ding Liren of China at the upcoming 2024 World Chess Championship later this year.
If Gukesh defeats Ding, who has been struggling with poor form lately, he will surpass Gary Kasparov's record as the youngest world champion at the age of 22.
Gukesh, currently ranked 16th in the world by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), clinched his title with a smooth draw against Hikaru Nakamura, the world number 3 and a five-time US chess champion who is more than twice his age.
Gukesh is on track to become the youngest player to compete for a world chess title.
In a press conference following his victory in the round robin tournament, Gukesh expressed his emotions and shared that he is now feeling positive.
"I'm not too concerned about being the youngest or breaking any records, but it's always nice to hear."
Gukesh found himself surrounded by enthusiastic Indian fans outside his hotel, as the country cheers for another promising young chess player.
"I can't wait to participate in the world championship and I'm eager for all the upcoming preparations," he expressed, mentioning that he feels like he's only reached the midway point of his journey.
The previous youngest winner of a Candidates tournament was the Russian prodigy Kasparov, who achieved this feat at the age of 20 in 1984.
Kasparov, a multiple world champion, had high praise for Gukesh and the continuous flow of talented chess players emerging from Asia and Asian diaspora communities in countries such as the United States and Britain.
On the social media platform X, Kasparov described the rise of Gukesh as the Indian earthquake in Toronto, symbolizing the significant changes happening in the world of chess.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media to commend Gukesh for his impressive accomplishment, praising his extraordinary talent and dedication.
Gukesh is set to compete against 31-year-old Chinese champion Ding, who claimed the world title in 2023. The title was previously held by Magnus Carlsen, a five-time world champion who chose not to defend his title at that time.
Ding made history by becoming the first Chinese men's player to be crowned world champion. However, he decided to take a nine-month break from competitions after achieving this milestone. Since his return, Ding has been facing challenges with his performance and form.
The specific details regarding the date and venue of the 2024 World Chess Championship matchup between Ding and Gukesh have not been disclosed yet.
China’s Tan Zhongyi emerged victorious in the women’s Challenger category, earning a spot in a world title match against fellow Chinese player and reigning world champion Ju Wenjun - although the date is still unknown.
On the other hand, India boasts a wealth of young chess talent.
Joining Gukesh in the men’s Candidates tournament was Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa (R Praggnanandhaa), 18, who famously stunned the chess world by beating Carlsen in 2022.
Known to fans as "Pragg", he achieved the title of youngest international chess master at the age of 10 and became the world's second-youngest grandmaster at 12. Last year, he and his sister, 22-year-old Rameshbabu Vaishali (R Vaishali), made history as the first brother and sister duo to both obtain grandmaster titles.
Gukesh made history by becoming the second Indian to compete in a world championship, following in the footsteps of the legendary player Viswanathan “Vishy” Anand.
Last September, Gukesh achieved a significant milestone by surpassing Anand, who has been India's top player for almost four decades and has won the world championship title five times. Gukesh is now India's highest-ranked player.
“I’m personally very proud of how (Gukesh) played and handled tough situations. Enjoy the moment,” Anand wrote in a post on X.
