Gukesh Dommaraju, an18 year old prodigy from Chennai made history by becoming the youngest world chess champion after defeating reigning title holder Ding Liren in the World Chess Championship on Thursday.
Gukesh secured 7.5 points, while Liren had 6.5, after winning the final classical game of the 14-game match that had seemed to be heading for a draw for most of its duration.
He is only the second Indian to win the Grandmaster title, following the legendary Vishwanathan Anand, who last won the World Championship in 2013. He become the 18th World Champion in chess championship.
POV you just witnessed Gukesh D become the 18th World Champion! #DingGukesh ♟️ pic.twitter.com/gWaF8iJrvk
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) December 12, 2024
Who is Dommaraju Gukesh?
Dommaraju Gukesh born on May 29, 2006, studied at Velammal Vidyalaya School in Chennai. He began playing chess at the age of 7 and showed a keen interest in the game from a young age.
Gukesh stopped attending regular school after the fourth standard and later focused entirely on chess, only sitting for exams. He practiced daily for one hour, three days a week. With the support of his family, he was able to dedicate himself fully to improving his game.
At just 12 years old, he became a grandmaster and qualified for FIDE, achieving this remarkable milestone on January 15, 2019. His chess career has seen significant progress. In 2022, he surpassed Viswanathan Anand to become India's highest-rated player, ending Anand's remarkable 37-year reign as the country's top player.
Gukesh also shone at the 2022 FIDE Chess Olympiad, where he earned an individual gold medal and played a key role in helping India secure a bronze medal. He achieved an impressive performance rating of 2867 while competing on the top board during the Olympiad.
Dommaraju Gukesh's road to World Chess Championship
In 2023, Gukesh won the FIDE Circuit, which qualified him for the Candidates Tournament. His victory in the 2024 Candidates Tournament solidified his status as a prominent figure in global chess.
In April 2024, during the Candidates Tournament, Gukesh secured wins against R Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi while playing as black, Alireza Firouzja while playing as white, and Nijat Abasov in both colours. His only loss came in a match against Firouzja while playing black.
This performance led him to achieve five wins, one loss, and eight draws, resulting in a score of 9/14. He won the tournament, thus qualifying for the 2024 World Championship match against Ding Liren, becoming the youngest-ever winner of the Candidates
In September 2024, Gukesh participated in the Chess Olympiad in Budapest as part of the Indian team. He delivered an outstanding performance on board one, defeating Wei Yi, Parham Maghsoodloo, and Fabiano Caruana, finishing with 9 points in 10 rounds. Gukesh achieved the highest performance rating of 3056 among all players in the tournament.
His performance earned him an individual gold medal on board one and helped India secure their first-ever team gold medal at the Olympiads. On October 1, 2024, Gukesh entered the FIDE world top five for the first time.