At 18, India’s Gukesh Dommaraju becomes the youngest world chess champion of all time: NPR

India’s grandmaster Gukesh Dommaraju reacts after winning against China’s chess grandmaster Ding Liren in Game 14 of the 2024 FIDE World Championship in Singapore on Thursday.

Simon Lim/AFP via Getty Images

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Simon Lim/AFP via Getty Images

Gukesh Dommaraju, the 18-year-old chess prodigy from India, unseated China’s Ding Liren to become the new world chess champion.

Born in 2006, Dommaraju is the youngest world champion ever, a record previously held by Garry Kasparov, who became world champion in 1985 at the age of 22.

Dommaraju secured victory in Singapore on Thursday after a close game between the two grandmasters that appeared to be on the verge of a draw.

“Ding’s opening choice was expected, but Gukesh played a line that no one expected,” said International Chess Federation President Arkady Dvorkovich.

The association described the majority of the game between the two as having “near perfect accuracy” and that things were set for a draw.

But in an attempt to force the draw, Liren made a crucial mistake.

“I was totally shocked when I realized I made the mistake,” Ding said in a post-match press conference about his decision to sacrifice one of his rooks to beat one from Dommaraju.

“I think I played maybe my best tournament of the year. I could be better, but considering I was lucky yesterday (survival), losing in the end is a fair result. I have no regrets,” Ding said.

In the final moments of the game you can almost see the exact moment when Dommaraju realizes that he now has a chance of winning. A cautious smile crosses his face and he briefly leaves the table, clutching his chest and exhaling.

Upon returning to the table, Ding makes one final move and shakes Dommaraju’s hand to admit defeat.

The teenager covered his face and cried with joy, barely managing to shake hands with the well-wishers who had congratulated him.

Dommaraju said he initially couldn’t believe his luck that the 32-year-old world chess champion had engineered his own defeat.

“Ever since I started playing chess… I have dreamed of living this moment for more than ten years,” Dommaraju said in the press conference. “Every chess player wants to experience this moment, and very few get the chance.”

But Dommaraju expressed great respect for Ding and praised the Chinese player as a legend of the sport.

“We all know who Ding is. He has been one of the best players in history for several years,” said Dommaraju, acknowledging Ding’s struggles in games in recent years. “When you see how much pressure he had to endure and the kind of fight he showed in this match, it shows what a true champion he is.”