World Chess Championship: D Gukesh scripts historic win vs China’s Ding Liren, becomes youngest-ever champ

India’s Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest world chess champion, defeating defending champ Ding Liren (of China), on Thursday. It was a dramatic affair in the decisive 14th game in Singapore, as a blunder from Liren in the end game saw Gukesh come out on top.

Gukesh also became the 18th world champion at the age of 18, four years younger than Garry Kasparov, who had been the youngest world champion since 1985 when he reigned supreme agains Anatoly Karpov.

Gukesh clinched victory in the decider with black pieces as Liren crumbled under pressure. Although Liren was in a comfortable position to force a tie-breaker, but crashed at the end, losing 6.5-7.5.

“I probably got so emotional because I did not really expect to win that position”, Gukesh told reporters.

Ding, whose form has plummeted since he beat Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi to claim the crown in 2023, had not won a long-time format “classical” game since January and largely avoided top events in a bid to improve.

But the Chinese player regained confidence after a surprise win in the opening round of the match and, following two wins for Gukesh and eight draws, had evened the score in round 12 with a victory which was acclaimed by several commentators.

“We all know who Ding is, he has been one of the best players in history for several years”, Gukesh added.

The match was a 14-round long-time “classical” event with a prize fund of $2.5 million.

Gukesh had qualified in April by winning the Candidates tournament, an eight-player, double round robin event featuring fellow Indians Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi.

They and their teammates from India won gold in the open and women’s sections of the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest in September, which many professionals attributed to the efforts of former world champion Viswanathan Anand to promote chess in the country.

World number one Magnus Carlsen, who had been world champion since 2013, relinquished his title in 2022, citing a lack of motivation.

“Becoming the world champion doesn’t mean that I’m the best player in the world, obviously there’s Magnus, so it’s also a motivating factor”, Gukesh said.