- विज्ञापन -
Singapore: India’s D Gukesh has etched his name in history by becoming the youngest World Chess Champion ever, defeating China’s Ding Liren in a 14-game match. The 18-year-old from Chennai capitalized on a critical blunder by Ding in the decisive 14th game, winning the match with a score of 7.5 to 6.5. Gukesh is only the second Indian to claim the World Chess Championship title.
By winning, Gukesh became the 18th World Champion in chess history and the youngest to do so, breaking Garry Kasparov’s previous record of winning at age 22. His victory marks a new chapter in chess, following the abdication of Magnus Carlsen in 2023, which allowed Ding to defeat Ian Nepomniachtchi before facing Gukesh.
In the final game, Ding, who had been steering towards a draw with the Reversed Grunfeld variation of the Zukertort Opening, made a critical mistake. Just as it seemed the game would end in a draw, Ding blundered with a rook move that led to a losing position involving a pinned bishop in a rook-pawn ending.
Ding expressed his shock at the blunder during the post-game press conference. Gukesh initially didn’t recognize his winning opportunity but soon realized it was the pinnacle moment of his life. After a brief pause to gather himself, he exchanged pieces, forcing Ding to resign after 58 moves.
Gukesh shared his excitement, saying, “I have been dreaming of this for the last 10-12 years since I started playing chess… I am living my dream,” while also thanking God for this achievement. He acknowledged Ding’s efforts throughout the match, despite the latter’s physical challenges.
With this victory, Gukesh earned $1.35 million (approximately Rs 11.45 crore), while Ding received $1.15 million (around Rs 9.75 crore) from the total prize pool of $2.5 million. Gukesh’s earnings included $600,000 (about Rs 5.07 crore) for winning three games, while Ding earned $400,000 (approximately Rs 3.38 crore) for his two victories.
