Indian Teen Gukesh Dommaraju Becomes Youngest-Ever World Chess Champion

Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju has become the youngest-ever world chess champion after beating defending champion China's Ding Liren in a dramatic turn on Thursday.

Dommaraju, at age 18, is four years younger than Russian grandmaster Garry Kasparov was when he won the title in 1985 at age 22.

The Chennai prodigy has long been a superstar in the chess world, having attained the status of chess grandmaster at just 12.

But he was seen as the challenger going into the final of the FIDE World Chess Championship match held in Singapore this year.

Playing on black, Dommaraju won the game after under-pressure Ding went wrong while in a solid position, game commentators noted.

The 18-year-old took the title with a final score of 7.5-6.5, ending a fortnight in which the games of the pair had been followed so closely by chess fans around the world.

Ding had faced pressure all year over his form, ever since he won the 2023 title.

The Chinese player had not won a long-format "classical" game since January and was seen to be avoiding other top-level competitions.

But he had played a very strong opening game and won the second-last game against Dommaraju, which indicated momentum.

Both players were tied at two wins each and eight draws going into the final game on Thursday.

After hours of tight play, Ding on move 55 moved his rook to a fatally weak position that gave Dommaraju an opportunity to capitalise.

Instantly recognising his mistake, Ding slumped on the table.

"Ding seemed to have a risk-free chance to push for a win but instead liquidated into a pawn-down endgame," Chess.com wrote in its post-game summary. "It should have been drawn, but Ding blundered as the pressure grew."

It was endgame from there. Ding resigned three moves later.

Dommaraju promptly burst into tears as the room erupted with cheers from spectators.

"I probably got so emotional because I did not really expect to win that position," he was quoted as saying.

At 18 years old, he is only the second Indian player to become world chess champion, after five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Narendra Modi was one of the first public figures to heap praise.

"Historic and exemplary!" he wrote on X. "Congratulations to Gukesh D on his remarkable achievement. This is the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work, and unwavering determination."

The FIDE World Chess Championship has a $2.5m (£1.96m) prize fund.

Gukesh: "The single greatest moment of my life!"#DingGukesh pic.twitter.com/hvN7YSmFfe

— chess24 (@chess24com) December 12, 2024