World chess has experienced a historic moment with the coronation of Dommaraju Gukesh like him Youngest world champion in history. And on December 12, the young Indian defeated the defending world title, the Chinese Ding Liren in a dramatic game in Singapore.
Against all odds, Gukesh claimed the final victory in the tiebreaker match, game number 14 between them, thanks to a serious mistake by the Chinese and which helped him become world champion at just 18 years old. With this feat, the Indian chess player has broken the record he held until now Gary Kasparov who won his first world title in 1985 when he was 22 years old. Despite his youth, Guskesh’s achievement is not only a testament to his skill on the board, but also to his dedication and sacrifice over the years.
© GettyimagesWho is Gukesh Dommaraju?
Born on May 29, 2006 in Chennai (India), The birthplace of great chess players, Dommaraju Gukesh is a young chess prodigy who has captured the world’s attention with his impressive talent and strategic skills. But his connection with chess was born at school, because no one plays it at home. His father is an otorhinolaryngologist and his mother is a microbiologist and he started playing chess at seven years old, a bit by chance, in extracurricular classes while his parents were working.
© GettyimagesA decade later, Gukesh has managed to be the 18th world champion, writing his name next to that of great players like the Russians Karpov or Kasparovthe Indian Viswanathan Anand, or his idol, Magnus Carlsen. “Now I am living a dream. I would like to thank God, because this journey began first with my qualification, then with the Candidates tournament that allowed me to get here. And so many miracles have happened that it has only been possible, thank God! “I also want to thank all the people who have been by my side on this journey, each and every one of them, but I should probably prepare my speech first so as not to say something stupid because of the emotion I feel right now,” declared the young man. Indian after winning the world title.
© GTRESGreat achievements despite his young age.
With this victory, the 18-year-old becomes the second Indian player to win the world title, after his five-time champion and compatriot, Viswanathan. Vishy Anand, who also grew up in Chennai like the young Gukesh.
© GTRESBut his precocity and skill on the board has also led him to become Grandmaster at 12 years old, when he was still in Secondary School, a milestone that placed him in third place among the youngest Great Masters of the history of this sport.
© gettyimagesAnd now what awaits Gukesh?
The next great challenge of Dommaraju Gukesh is to face the best players in the world, in a shorter format of the sport: the World Rapid and Blitz Championship in New York, where he will face his idol Magnus Carlsenof which he has said: “It’s a motivating factor, trying to achieve the level of greatness that Magnus has achieved.”
© gettyimagesWithout a doubt, 2024 has been an unforgettable year for him, as he has won, among other things, the Candidates tournament in April that gave him access to the world championship, and also led to the Indian team to victory in the Chess Olympiad. The upcoming shorter format championship will be an opportunity to show that his feat against Liren was the beginning of a great career that has just begun.