"Gukesh Dommaraju: The 18-Year-Old Who Became the 18th World Chess Champion" - The Journey of a Dream

In recent years, Indian chess has witnessed remarkable growth, with young prodigies making their mark on the global stage and the country emerging as a powerhouse in the chess world.

They say, “A single spark can start a prairie fire.” An 11-year-old who watched a game between Viswanathan Anand and Magnus Carlsen in 2013 ignited a spark within himself, becoming an unstoppable force.

On 12th December 2024, a young lad’s achievement revived the dominance of chess in India. This journey is nothing short of a thriller. As I take you through this incredible story, I truly believe this achievement is a moment of immense pride for every Indian.

I feel privileged to have witnessed the extraordinary journey of a young talent who went from having little chance of qualifying for the Candidates tournament to becoming the youngest World Champion at just 18 years old.

From 5th to 21st December, the first-ever Chennai Grandmaster’s tournament was held in Chennai, India. It was the strongest classical super tournament ever hosted in India. Gukesh won this tournament, which gave him realistic chances of qualifying for the Candidates. Before this tournament, Gukesh Dommaraju had almost no chance of qualifying for the Candidates. Then, to everyone’s surprise, this young talent from India emerged victorious.

By the end of 2023, Gukesh was ranked 2nd in the FIDE Circuit. Since Fabiano Caruana had already qualified for the Candidates through the World Cup, Gukesh secured his place among the Candidates. Three players from India were among the eight challengers in the Candidates: Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, Vidit Santosh Gujarati, and Gukesh Dommaraju.

The Candidates tournament took place at The Great Hall in Toronto, Canada, from 3rd to 22nd April 2024. Gukesh scored 9/14 and won the Candidates. This event was dramatic in itself, as, in the 14th round, four candidates were battling for the top spot: Gukesh Dommaraju, Hikaru Nakamura, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Fabiano Caruana. Going into the final round, Gukesh held a half-point lead over his competitors.

The final round saw Nakamura as White against Gukesh and Caruana as White against Nepomniachtchi, with Nakamura, Caruana, and Nepomniachtchi all needing a win. Gukesh and Nakamura’s game ended in a fighting draw, with neither player ever gaining a decisive advantage. The game between Caruana and Nepomniachtchi was far more dramatic. Caruana played brilliantly and had an advantage until the end, but Nepomniachtchi defended exceptionally well, posing constant threats. This led to a complicated endgame where Caruana made an inaccurate move, allowing Nepomniachtchi to hold to a draw. This result placed Gukesh Dommaraju as the lone leader on the leaderboard, winning the tournament and becoming the youngest challenger for the title at 18 years old.

The World Chess Championship was scheduled from 25th November to 12th December 2024. The stage was set for an epic battle of minds as Gukesh and Ding Liren faced off for the World Chess Championship.

Heading into the championship, Ding Liren was not at his best, having not won a single game in the last 304 days. However, in the first round, Ding showed why he was the reigning champion by winning the first game with Black, taking an early lead. This caused many to question the young prodigy’s abilities, but Gukesh embraced the criticism as a challenge. Game 2 ended in a draw. Then, in Game 3, Gukesh made a stunning comeback with White and won on time. He then went on to draw every game until Game 10.

In Game 11, Gukesh secured a magnificent victory with White, taking the lead 6-5. But Ding Liren came back stronger, winning Game 12 with White, levelling the score at 6-6. Round 13 also ended in a draw, leaving the score tied at 6.5-6.5.

As mentioned earlier, this journey was nothing short of a thriller. Game 14 had Ding Liren playing with White. The game remained in an equal position for almost its entirety, and everyone expected another draw. However, Ding Liren made a critical blunder on move 55 by playing Rook to f2 (Rf2), which left his last line of defense exposed and led to an unavoidable checkmate. In short, a small mistake cost Ding his title.

This historic game crowned Gukesh Dommaraju as the youngest player to become the 18th World Chess Champion at just 18 years old.

And finally, a heartfelt thanks to ChessBase India and their team for streaming all the games on YouTube, making them accessible to chess enthusiasts worldwide to enjoy the action!