Dommaraju Gukesh, 17, recently earned the title of the youngest challenger for the World Chess Championship.
Key points:
- Gukesh qualified for the global championship after winning the Candidates Tournament in Toronto on April 22.
- He is the youngest to ever win the Candidates Tournament.
- Gukesh is scheduled to meet current champion Ding Liren of China later this year.
Catch up:
- Ding made history last year by becoming China’s first men’s world chess champion.
About Gukesh:
- Currently ranked World No. 6, the Chennai-based grandmaster attained his grandmaster title at the age of 12 years and seven months in 2019.
- A major influence on Gukesh’s development is chess legend Viswanathan Anand, who now serves as his mentor.
- He is also the third youngest to achieve a chess rating of 2700 and the youngest to reach a rating of 2750.
- Gukesh secured his place in the Candidates by winning the individual top board gold medal at the 2022 Chess Olympiad and excelling in the Fide Circuit.
- Last year, Gukesh became the youngest player ever to beat World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen as World Champion. Carlsen said he advised Gukesh to not “go crazy, because others generally will” before the Candidates.
The details:
- Gukesh qualified for the world championship by outperforming experienced rivals like Fabiano Caruana (USA), Hikaru Nakamura (USA) and Ian Nepomniachtchi (Russia) in the Toronto tournament.
- Gukesh broke Russian chess legend Garry Kasparov’s record, who was the youngest challenger to the world title at age 20 in 1984. Kasparov, hailed Gukesh’s victory, calling it “an Indian earthquake in Toronto.”
- Gukesh’s composure under pressure was a crucial factor in his success. While some analysts question his excessively cautious style at times, he has demonstrated that he can attack aggressively when needed.
- Gukesh’s return to Chennai on April 25 was met with fanfare and praise from Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He informed local reporters that he is prepared for his upcoming match against Ding.
“Wherever I play, the goal is to be focused and to win the match. Ding is a strong player, but I have full belief that I can beat him. I will prepare well for him.”
What’s next:
- Gukesh will compete against 31-year-old defending champion Ding in a highly anticipated World Chess Championship match from Nov. 20 – Dec. 15.
