D Gukesh from India secured the World Chess Championship title on Thursday. He defeated the reigning champion, Ding Liren of China, in a thrilling final game held in Singapore.
The 14-game match concluded with a final score of 7.5-6.5 in Gukesh’s favour. This victory makes Gukesh the 18th world chess champion and first for India since Viswanathan Anand in 2012.
Gukesh’s achievement is notable for his young age. He becomes the youngest world champion, surpassing Garry Kasparov‘s record set in 1985. Kasparov was 22 when he won the title.
After his win was confirmed, the Chennai-born Grandmaster was moved to tears and sobbed while sat near the board where he brought further glory to the nation.
In the decisive final game, Gukesh, playing with the black pieces, capitalised on Ding’s error.
Ding’s performance has declined since his 2023 victory over Ian Nepomniachtchi, where he claimed the world championship title.
Since January, Ding hadn’t won a classical format game. He opted out of major tournaments to focus on improving his game.
The Chinese player showed a resurgence in the opening round of the match against Gukesh with a surprising win. After two wins for Gukesh and eight draws, Ding levelled the score in the 12th round. This victory in the 12th round garnered praise from several commentators.
The World Chess Championship match was a 14-round classical format event. The total prize money for the tournament was $2.5 million.
Gukesh earned his spot in the championship match by winning the Candidates Tournament in April.
Magnus Carlsen, the world champion since 2013, decided to relinquish his title in 2022. He stated a lack of motivation as his reason for stepping down.
