Singapore, December 12 (BH Web News):
Indian Grandmaster D. Gukesh, aged 18, won the World Chess Championship in Singapore on Thursday, December 12. He defeated China’s reigning champion, Ding Liren, with a score of 7.5-6.5 in the final.
Gukesh has become the youngest player in history to win this title. Previously, Russian player Garry Kasparov held the record when he won the championship at the age of 22 in 1985.
Gukesh secured the title by winning the 14th game. The final began on November 25 and continued until December 11, during which 13 games were played. Both players were tied at 6.5-6.5. Gukesh won the deciding 14th game today, earning a one-point lead to finish at 7.5-6.5.
“Best Moment of My Life”: Gukesh
After the match, Gukesh said, “Liren’s mistake was the best moment of my life. When he made the blunder, I didn’t realize it at first. I was about to make my usual move when I noticed his rook was within my rook’s attack range. I captured it and then took his bishop with mine. That left me with an extra pawn, which proved decisive. Finally, Liren resigned.”
Second Indian World Chess Champion
Gukesh is only the second Indian to become a World Chess Champion, following Viswanathan Anand, who won the title in 2012. At 17, Gukesh also won the FIDE Candidates Chess Tournament, becoming the youngest player to achieve that feat.
Game Highlights
By Sunday, after 11 games, Gukesh led 6-5. Out of those, 8 games ended in a draw, 2 were won by Gukesh, and 1 by Liren. Liren made a comeback by winning the 12th game and leveling the score. However, Gukesh claimed victory in the final decisive game.
Gukesh and Ding Liren’s Epic Chess Battle
On Wednesday, in the 13th game of the World Chess Championship, Gukesh played to a draw after 68 moves. At that point, the score was tied at 6.5-6.5. Gukesh won the 3rd, 11th, and 14th games, while Ding Liren won the 1st and 12th games. The remaining games ended in draws.
Gukesh Earned 11.45 Crore
For the first time in the 138-year history of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), two Asian players competed for the World Championship title. In classical games, each win brought a prize of 1.69 crore. With three wins, Gukesh earned 5.07 crore, and Liren earned 3.38 crore for his two victories. The remaining prize money was split equally between the players. Gukesh’s total winnings came to 11.45 crore, while Liren received 9.75 crore.
Who Is D. Gukesh?
Gukesh D, whose full name is Dommaraju Gukesh, hails from Chennai, India. He was born on May 7, 2006, and started playing chess at the age of seven. Initially, he was coached by Bhaskar Nagia, an international chess player and tutor from Chennai. Later, former World Champion Viswanathan Anand provided Gukesh with training and guidance.
Gukesh’s father is a doctor, and his mother is a microbiologist.
Earlier this year, from September 10 to 23, the Chess Olympiad was held in Budapest, where India became the champion in both the Open and Women’s categories. Gukesh played a crucial role by winning the final game in the Open category, securing victory for India.
Gukesh Trending on Google
Since the final match against Ding Liren began on November 25, Gukesh has gained significant attention. After becoming the World Chess Champion, his name has been trending rapidly on Google.
