 "D Gukesh emerges as a mental monster to make his boyhood dream come true and make India proud in chess")
In an interview that he had given at the tender age of 11, D Gukesh had dreamt of becoming the “the youngest chess champion" in the world. Following his meteoric rise since August 2023, when Gukesh dethroned former world champion Viswanathan Anand as the top-ranked Indian on the FIDE ratings, the clip gained considerable traction on social media.
It would then go viral when he was crowned the youngest champion in the history of the Candidates Tournament in Toronto in April. And after his stellar performance in the Chess Olympiad, where he was the standout performer in India’s historic golden double in Budapest, the global chess community believed it was only a matter of time before Gukesh joined his mentor Anand in the list of chess world champions from India.
On Thursday, the boyhood dream would finally come true as Gukesh defeated Ding in the decisive 14th and final Classical game of the 2024 FIDE World Chess Championship in Singapore. And with his victory, the 18-year-old Grandmaster ended up becoming the youngest champion in the history of the sport , breaking a record previously set by Russian and ex-Soviet legend Garry Kasparov that had stood for nearly four decades.
Gukesh didn’t quite breeze his way to the world title as everyone had expected, given his red-hot form this year that was in direct contrast to that of Ding, who had not won a game in the Classical format in 10 months. Instead, what stood out in his triumphant campaign was his never-say-die attitude and his ability to make the most of the opportunities
In an interview with @ChessbaseIndia founder Sagar Shah back in 2018, Gukesh said his ambition was to become the youngest World Champion in Chess.
— India Wants To Know: India's First Panel Quiz Show (@IWTKQuiz) December 12, 2024
What a way to achieve your goal!
Video courtesy reddit. pic.twitter.com/cG3FdzhsIN
Impact Shorts
More ShortsGukesh’s tenacity stands out in victorious campaign
Despite his recent struggles, Ding was not to be taken lightly, especially in an event as big as the World Championship where he had the advantage of experience over his Indian opponent. And Ding proved that he was no pushover with a 42-move victory in Game 1, taking both Gukesh and the rest of the chess world by surprise with a 1-0 lead at the very outset of the ‘Best of 14 Games’ series.
Gukesh, however, would steadily claw his way back, opening his account with a draw in Game 2 before drawing level with Ding in the third game, defeating the Chinese Grandmaster in 37 moves. And once he caught up with his opponent at 1.5-all, he refused to let him surge ahead of him in the remainder of the Championship.
Also Read | ‘Gukesh you legend’, wishes pour in after Indian GM clinches historic title in Singapore
That wasn’t the only time Gukesh was under the pump though. Ding had the advantage over him in quite a few of the drawn games, only for the Indian to fight his way through and enforce a stalemate.
Gukesh had then surged into a lead for the first time after defeating Ding in just 29 moves in Game 11, only for the Chinese GM to catch up with a resounding victory in the very next game to level the scores at six-all. The 13th game had ended in a draw, and the 14th too appeared headed for a stalemate, which would have resulted in the two players finishing level on 7 points and tie-breaks being enforced.
Gukesh knew Ding had the wood on him when it came to the more fast-paced Rapid and Blitz formats, in which the tie-breaks would have been contested, and simply refused to give in despite getting multiple hints towards a draw in the 14th game – the final in the Classical format.
🇮🇳 GUKESH D WINS THE 2024 FIDE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP! 👏 🔥#DingGukesh pic.twitter.com/aFNt2RO3UK
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) December 12, 2024
While the 18-year-old was able to defeat Ding in less than 30 moves in the 11th game to move into the lead, catching the 32-year-old off-guard with his unsual choice for an opening (Reti), Gukesh was forced to wait patiently on Thursday as the prospect of a draw looked increasingly likely after the middle game, especially after the two players exchanged queens in the 30th move.
As had been the case on Sunday, all it took was for Ding to commit one blunder to serve the game on a silver platter to his opponent. While he had been under pressure right from the opening in Game 11, Ding wore a more relaxed expression for the better part of Game 14 until moving the rook to f2 – which proved to be a Championship-defining error.
Also Read | Gukesh says he experienced ‘best moment of my life’ after realising Ding’s blunder in Game 14
For Gukesh, however, it didn’t matter what mental state his opponent was in, nor the situation of the game. The moment he spotted a window of opportunity, Gukesh went straight for the jugular like a tiger and did not release his vice-like grip until his opponent had raised his white flag.
Speaking to Firstpost’s Rupha Ramani, Vishy Anand heaped praise on Gukesh’s ability to handle setbacks better than his opponent and why that was essential to him being crowned as the 18th world champion.
“I think it’s the total package. You know, you don’t become a world champion by just doing one thing better than something else. He turned up, he played well, and he tried hard. He had heart. He had preparation. He was better in many things I mean, but also, he handled the setbacks well, and he stuck to his strategy.
“His strategy was to keep putting pressure in every game, and he stuck to this no matter what risks got involved, even, you know, the last two games when it seemed almost like Ding was waiting to go to the tiebreaks. Gukesh kept probing here and there. Actually, Gukesh could have won the match yesterday (in Game 13), but then he won today. I think it rewards his spirit,” Anand said on Thursday.
Win with grace, lose with dignity!
— Susan Polgar (@SusanPolgar) December 12, 2024
One won with grace, the other lost with dignity! Class all the way by these two champions!
Gukesh has the potential to be the best Chess Ambassador ever! Professional, mature, humble, classy, charismatic, well spoken, and well mannered!… pic.twitter.com/AoHzSsIeEF
Having finally achieved his boyhood dream, Gukesh can afford to sit back and cherish his incredible seven-year journey when he celebrates his remarkable feat with his team, and later with his family and friends.
Deep inside, however, Gukesh will know that he is far from done when it comes to sport. The 18-year-old is just getting started.
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