18-year-old Indian player Dommaraju Gukesh won the final game of the World Championship against Chinese title holder Ding Liren on Thursday to become the youngest player to win chess’ most prestigious title.
While the two players were tied before the 14e game, which seemed to be heading towards a draw, the Indian player took advantage of a blunder by his opponent at 55e shot to gain a decisive advantage and force retirement shortly after.
The duel in Singapore was indecisive until the end, but the mistakes of Ding, 32, ended up making him lose the title he won in April 2023, a first for a Chinese player. Since this coronation he had played much less and he seemed to have lost his quality of play.
“When I realized his mistake, it was the best moment of my life,” Gukesh told a press conference. With the black pieces, which play second, the Indian pushed, despite an equal game, and notably took advantage of the lack of time for Ding, who was slower to play.
At the time of the error, Ding had only ten minutes left on the clock, an hour less than Gukesh.
“My strategy for the match was to push as much as possible, whatever my color,” explained the new world champion.
Gukesh did not miss the opportunity to continue his meteoric rise in the world of chess. His designation as challenger thanks to his victory during the Candidates Tournament in April 2024 had already surprised, but he continued to gain momentum, with a great performance during the Chess Olympiad in September, won by India. He is now the fifth player in the world, and the youngest among the top 50.
He also becomes the second Indian to obtain this title after Viswanathan Anand between 2007 and 2013.
“When I was watching the match in 2013”, when Anand, at home, lost his title against the Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, “I said to myself that it would be so good to be in their place. I wanted to be the one to bring the title back to India. This dream has been the most important thing in my life so far,” explained Gukesh, very moved, after paying tribute to his opponent.
“He was one of the best players in history for years. He’s an incredible fighter. Seeing him continue to fight despite all the pressure he was under, it showed what a champion he is.”
Previously, Ding had estimated “to have played (his) best tournament of the year”. “I could have been better, but I was already lucky to survive yesterday,” he said of the 13e game, where he was close to losing. “I have no regrets,” he concluded, ending with a promise to continue playing chess.
Gukesh, fifth player in the world in the points ranking, was the favorite in the duel. Despite a false start with a defeat in the first game, which he had started better, he made up for it by winning the third round.
After pushing several times in vain, he took an advantage by winning the 11e part. But the next day he was surprised and had to give in.
This World Championship will not resolve the questions surrounding the format for obtaining the title managed by the international federation. World number 1, Magnus Carlsen, who won the title five times in a row in 2013 and 2021, then surrendered his crown, without fighting, tired of the extended format.
The Norwegian’s level seems well above what we have seen throughout this World Championship. This time, he mainly played the role of commentator for his chess application, while he is also trying to create new formats to attract more audiences and money to chess.