‘Still the kid who loves chess’: New world champ D Gukesh unfazed by big prize money

‘Still the kid who loves chess’: New world champ D Gukesh unfazed by big prize money

New Delhi: India’s D Gukesh beat Ding Liren in the final and won the World Chess Championship title on December 12. He became only the second Indian to win the Championship after Viswanathan Anand.

The 18-year-old became the youngest World Champion surpassing Russia’s legendary Garry Kasparov who won the title at the age of 22. Gukesh also won the prize money of 11.45 crore which he will get from FIDE for winning the World Chess Championship title.

Gukesh’s father sacrificed his career as an ENT surgeon to support his son’s career in chess while his mother, who is a microbiologist became the only bread earner for the family.

Stunning emotions as Gukesh cries after winning the World Championship title! #DingGukesh pic.twitter.com/E53h0XOCV3

— chess24 (@chess24com) December 12, 2024

‘My parents sacrificed a lot and faced hardships’: D Gukesh

In an interview with FIDE, Gukesh said that when he started playing chess, his family made a lot of tough decisions and sacrificed a lot for him financially. He further added today his family is in a better place and they don’t have to worry about money anymore.

“When I started playing chess, we had to make some hard decisions as a family. My parents sacrificed a lot and faced hardships, especially financial ones. Today, we are in a better place, and it means a lot that they don’t have to worry about these things anymore,” Gukesh said in an interview with FIDE.

Gukesh also acknowledged the role of his father and mother in his journey and said that they’re everything to him. He also talked about chess and said that the more he learn about it, the more he realize that how little he know about the game.

“If I lose a beautiful game, I will feel sad, but if I win despite not playing great, I will still be happy. The destination matters, though the journey is equally important,” Gukesh remarked.

 India’s D Gukesh joined the ranks of multi-millionaires after winning the World Chess Championship title. However, the 18-year-old sensation insists that money is not what drives his passion for the game.  Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today