New Delhi: D Gukesh etched his name in history books with a remarkable win against the defending champion Ding Liren in the World Chess Championship 2024 in Singapore. Gukesh became the youngest world champion on December 12, Thursday after edging past Liren in Game 14 of the global chess event at the Resorts World Sentosa Convention Centre.
The Indian Grandmaster became the seventh player in the history of the tournament to win the title and the youngest to claim the chess crown aged just 18.
Gukesh scripted a famous win after outsmarting Liren, who headed to Round 14 as the hot favourite. But with the scores level at 6.5 in the final round, Liren, the three-time world champion, unsurprisingly, made a huge blunder in the dying stages of the game, which was heading towards a draw.
Gukesh pounced on the mistake and claimed the requisite 7.5 points against 6.5 of Liren after winning the last classical time control game of the match.
Following the win, Gukesh became only the second Indian to win the prestigious world chess title. Of the 18 world champions, Gukesh is only the second from India. Who was the first Indian to bring home glory?
Gukesh second Indian to win the world title. Who was the first Indian to become world champion?
Gukesh’s win in Singapore ended India’s 11-year-long wait for the world chess title. Gukesh became only the second Indian after legendary Viswanathan Anand to win the prestigious title. Anand, a five-time world champion, was the first Indian to win the title 12 years ago in 2012.
From One Generation to Another
1980s :: Young Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand
2024 :: Young Chess Champion D Gukesh pic.twitter.com/z80YUIBsWw
— indianhistorypics (@IndiaHistorypic) December 12, 2024
Gukesh follows in Anand’s footsteps
The iconic Indian, who is regarded as one of the best chess players of all time, won five titles in 2000, 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2012. He lost the 2013 match to Norwegian Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, who has also won five titles.
Gukesh broke the record of Russia’s Garry Kasparov, who held the record for almost four decades. Kasparov, widely regarded as the best player in the history of chess was the youngest world chess champion when he won the title aged 22, defeating Anatoly Karpov in 1985 until 2024 when Gukesh beat Liren at the age of 18.
World Chess Championship 2024: Following the historic win against Ding Liren, D Gukesh became only the second Indian to win the prestigious crown Of the 18 world champions, Gukesh is only the second from India. Who was the first? Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
