Indian Grandmaster D. Gukesh made history on Thursday by becoming the youngest world chess champion at the age of 18, after defeating reigning title-holder Ding Liren of China in the 14th and final game of an exciting match in Singapore.
Gukesh secured the required 7.5 points, surpassing Liren’s 6.5, by winning the final classical time control game in a match that had appeared likely to end in a draw for most of its duration.
Prior to Gukesh’s achievement, the record for the youngest world chess champion was held by the legendary Garry Kasparov of Russia, who claimed the title at 22 years old by defeating Anatoly Karpov in 1985.
Gukesh entered the match as the youngest-ever challenger for the world title, having secured his spot by winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year. He is now the second Indian after the legendary Viswanathan Anand to claim the global title. Anand, a five-time world champion, last won the crown in 2013.
After shaking hands with his opponent Ding, Gukesh was visibly emotional, shedding tears. A video capturing the moment has since gone viral on social media.
The emotional moment that 18-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju became the 18th world chess champion 🥲🏆 pic.twitter.com/jRIZrYeyCF
— Chess.com (@chesscom) December 12, 2024
Must Read: Young Indian Grandmaster D. Gukesh Defeats Ding Liren, Leads World Chess Championship 6-5
