India’s Gukesh Dommaraju has been crowned the youngest world chess champion of all time

Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest world chess champion on Thursday after defeating reigning champion Ding Liren in the final game of the World Chess Championship in Singapore.

The 18-year-old prodigy won the $2.5 million fight, securing a 7.5-6.5 victory in the dramatic 14th game of classical chess.\

Gukesh, who became the second-youngest grandmaster in history at the age of 12, represents a new wave of Indian talent after Anand broke Russia’s hold on the sport by winning the title in 2007. Gukesh called Anand his “inspiration and role model”. .”

Thursday’s decisive game came after a thrilling battle that saw the two players draw before the final classic game.

The teenager left Ding wheezing in Game 13 on Wednesday, with Ding admitting in the post-game press conference that he almost gave up, but Ding survived the bashing and ended the game in a tie, with the two players tied at 6.5 points had equal points.

“It is fitting that the game goes to the last game because we both showed a lot of fighting spirit and played very entertaining chess,” Gukesh said at a post-match press conference.

But analysts said Ding made a crucial mistake in the decisive Game 14 that ultimately gave the teenager the title.

“I was probably so emotional because I didn’t really expect to win this position,” Gukesh told reporters, according to Reuters news agency.

“We all know who Ding is – he has been one of the best players in history for several years. For me he is the real world champion,” said Gukesh.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the victory as “historic and exemplary”!

Gukesh “not only etched his name in the annals of chess history but also inspired millions of young minds to dream big and strive for excellence,” Modi said in a post on X.

While the tournament is undoubtedly the game’s premier event, this year was different.

Not only were the Russians absent from the final, a rarity given their decades-long dominance of the game, but also one of the sport’s most recognizable figures, Magnus Carlsen of Norway, was absent.

Carlsen, 34, earned the title of “GOAT” (a popular acronym for “the greatest of all time”) for leading the sport since his teenage years, but gave up his title in 2022 due to a lack of motivation. His last major performance, his defense against Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi in 2021, attracted a record-breaking online audience.

While the absence of Carlsen, who remains one of the most marketable chess pieces, was felt in Singapore, Ding’s recent problems also cast a shadow over the final.

The Chinese move calculation engine won the crown last year, defeating Nepomniachtchi. His victory was also a proud moment for China and confirmed its status as a chess superpower.