 "Indian chess grandmaster Dommaraju Gukesh can become youngest world champion if he beats Ding Liren. Image: PTI")
D Gukesh who is only 18 is preparing to take part in his first World Chess Championship but American grandmaster and chess legend Levon Aronian feels the Indian is the “favourite” for the world title match against Ding Liren. Gukesh, 18, will take Chinese Grandmaster Ding Liren in the World Chess Championship from 15 November in Singapore. While Liren is planning to defend his title, Gukesh is looking to become the youngest-ever world champion in chess.
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A victory over Liren will also make Gukesh the second chess world champion from India after the legendary Viswanathan Anand. Gukesh qualified for the World Chess Championship by winning the FIDE Candidates at the age of 17, which is also a record.
“I think Gukesh is the favourite. What he needs to do is fight in every single game. I feel that during the World Championship matches, that is what counts the most from my experience as an observer. I saw that the players who fight and show resilience and desire eventually come out on top. In the end, it’s going to be a match that is very special." Aronian, who is in India for the Chennai Grand Masters, was quoted as saying by the Times of India.
“The World Chess champion has always been decided in Europe or a part of it in Asia. Now we have a full Asian encounter, so this shows the trend, and I think it’s very good for chess,” Aronian added.
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Gukesh has been in top form in 2024, having led India to a maiden gold medal win at the 45th Chess Olympiad , while Liren last won a classical match in 2024. The World Chess Championship will include 14 classical games and the first player to reach 7.5 points will clinch the world crown.
Despite being considered a favourite by most top chess players, including world No.1 Magnus Carlsen , Gukesh, who hails from Chennai, is not willing to take things easily .
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He recently said that he would approach the World Championship with a lot of respect and wouldn’t leave anything to chance.
“I don’t really buy into these things that people say about the match. I’m sure he (Ding) will be coming into the match with the right spirit and he’ll be trying his best. My approach is to treat every game with the utmost respect and energy and give it my best,” the 18-year-old Indian Grandmaster said.
The Chess World Championship will take place between 25 November and 13 December 2024.