D Gukesh beats Ding Liren to become youngest FIDE World Chess Champion

At the age of just 18, Gukesh Dommaraju from India made history by becoming the youngest World Chess Champion, triumphing over China's Ding Liren in the decisive 14th game. Heading into the final game on 6.5 points each, the final match also seemed to head towards a draw.

However, a late blunder by Ding Liren ultimately granted the victory to the Indian player. Gukesh is the first Indian to achieve the title of World Chess Champion since Viswanathan Anand in 2012. It concludes an impressive year for the 18-year-old, who has also secured victory in the Candidates 2024 tournament and earned a gold medal at the Chess Olympiad. He also became the first teenager to become World Chess Champion.

Gukesh’s achievement is remarkable, especially given his young age.  He has now become the youngest chess world champion in history, surpassing the long-held record set by Garry Kasparov in 1985. Kasparov was 22 years old when he first secured the title, whereas the Indian player has now exceeded that achievement.

Following the confirmation of his victory, the Grandmaster from Chennai was filled with emotion and shed tears while seated beside the board where he had just achieved a momentous win.

In the crucial final match, Gukesh, playing with the black pieces, capitalized on Ding Liren’s errors and executed an exceptional performance, thereby securing the championship title.

Ding Liren's performance has exhibited variability following his triumph over Ian Nepomniachtchi in 2023, during which he secured the world championship title. In fact, he hadn’t won a single classical game since January. Ding made the decision to forgo participation in major tournaments, concentrating instead on enhancing his skills during this time.

However, he showed signs of a comeback in the opening round of his match, securing an unexpected win. Gukesh secured two victories and eight draws; however, Ding succeeded in equalizing the score in the 12th round, leading to a tense and fiercely competitive conclusion to the match. Gukesh secured his place in the World Championship by triumphing in the Candidates tournament held earlier this year.

Cover Credits - Times of India