Grandmaster Gukesh Dommaraju is delighted with his world championship title
Image: Keystone
And the previous title holder, the Chinese Ding Liren, reflects on his blunder on move 55, which cost him his last chance at the title
Image: Keystone
Grandmaster Gukesh Dommaraju is delighted with his world championship title
Image: Keystone
And the previous title holder, the Chinese Ding Liren, reflects on his blunder on move 55, which cost him his last chance at the title
Image: Keystone
18-year-old Dommaraju Gukesh is the youngest world chess champion in history. The Indian wins the World Championship duel in Singapore against defending champion Ding Liren thanks to a victory in the 14th game.
Gukesh benefited from a huge blunder by the 32-year-old title holder from China in the 14th and final game. Ding Liren previously had the advantage with the white pieces. Ding seemed to be able to play for victory in the 14th game without taking any major risks. However, a blunder on move 55 allowed Dommaraju Gukesh to exchange rooks and then bishops, leaving the Indian with an unstoppable extra pawn.
The biggest blunder
Ding's mistake was rated in Singapore as one of the biggest blunders in the 138-year history of the World Chess Championships. Only three moves after the blunder, Ding Liren resigned without a chance. Gukesh won the 14-game series with 7.5:6.5 points.
The new world champion - only the 18th in history - explained at the press conference that he did not immediately recognize his opponent's 55th move as a mistake. "It took me a few seconds to realize that Ding's bishop was in a trap. But after I interpreted the position correctly, it was probably the best moment of my life."
Carlsen did not play
Gukesh is the second Indian world champion after Viswanathan Anand (2007 to 2013). He will receive 1.35 million dollars of the total prize money of 2.5 million for his success in Singapore. In April 2023, Liren was the first Chinese player to win the title against Russia's Jan Nepomniashchi.
The Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, who is considered the best chess player of the present day (and of all time), did not defend his title in 2023. Carlsen did not play in the recently concluded World Championship either.
