'Indian earthquake in Toronto': Garry Kasparov after D Gukesh breaks his Candidates Chess record

Legendary Grandmaster Garry Kasparov hailed D Gukesh for winning the Candidates Chess tournament and becoming the youngest world title contender. The 17-year-old Gukesh will take on China’s Ding Liren in the world title match in November. The previous youngest winner of the Candidates Chess tournament was Kasparov himself who was 20 years and 11 months when he triumphed in 1983/84.

Gukesh played out a draw in the 14th and final round of the competition with Hikaru Nakamura to finish with nine points out of a possible 14. His nearest competitors, Nakamura, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Fabiano Caruana, all finished 0.5 points adrift.

Read | D Gukesh makes Magnus Carlsen eat his words

Reacting to Gukesh’s historic achievement, Russia’s Kasparov called it an “Indian earthquake in Toronto” and a sign of shift in power dynamics in world chess.

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The winner of the #FIDECandidates, 🇮🇳Gukesh D @DGukesh and the winner of the Women's Candidates, 🇨🇳 Tan Zhongyi at the closing ceremony 🏆 pic.twitter.com/HLgyB5Zlb6

— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) April 23, 2024

“Congratulations! The Indian earthquake in Toronto is the culmination of the shifting tectonic plates in the chess world as the 17-year-old Gukesh D will face the Chinese champion Ding Liren for the highest title,” the legendary player who held the No.1 ranking from 1984 till he retired from competitive chess in 2005," he wrote on X.

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Congratulations! The Indian earthquake in Toronto is the culmination of the shifting tectonic plates in the chess world as the 17 year old Gukesh D will face the Chinese champion Ding Liren for the highest title. The "children" of Vishy Anand are on the loose! https://t.co/Lm52orDYs8

— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) April 22, 2024

Kasparov also credited Viswanathan Anand, the only other Indian to win the Candidates Chess tournament, for Gukesh’s success. “The ‘children’ of Vishy Anand are on the loose!” he said.

17-year-old 🇮🇳 Gukesh has smashed Kasparov's record as the youngest player to win the Candidates cycle and qualify for a match for the undisputed World Chess Championship title!#FIDECandidates pic.twitter.com/nIMH2SZTRO

— chess24 (@chess24com) April 22, 2024

“Congratulations to @DGukesh for becoming the youngest challenger. The @WacaChess family is so proud of what you have done. I’m personally very proud of how you played and handled tough situations. Enjoy the moment,” Anand posted on ‘X’ to congratulate the youngster.

Gukesh, a Chennai-native, pocketed €111,000 for his Candidates Chess tournament win. He, fittingly, received a massive ovation outside the venue on his win.

“So relieved and so happy. I was following this crazy game (between Fabio Caruana and Ian Nepomniachtchi), and then I went for a walk with my second (Gregorz Gazevsky), I think that helped,” Gukesh said after winning.

Gukesh was inspired into taking up the sport when Anand took on Magnus Carlsen in the 2013 World Championship clash in Tamil Nadu.

“While he was seven years old, he began playing the sport by seeing some family members play. The same year, he saw the World Championship contest between Vishwanathan Anand and Magnus Carlsen, and it was then that he became inspired by Vishi to take up the sport,” said his mother.