Youngest challenger in history of World Chess Championship crowned as Gukesh wins Candidates tournament

D. Gukesh, a 17-year-old chess player from Chennai, made history by becoming the youngest challenger in the World chess championship. He secured his spot by winning the qualifying event, the Candidates tournament, in Toronto. In the final round, he drew his match against Hikaru Nakamura, the second seed from the United States. Gukesh had to wait for the result of the game between the top-seeded American Fabiano Caruana and Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi to determine the final standings. The result ended in a draw, making Gukesh the outright champion with nine points, ahead of Nakamura, Nepomniachtchi, and Caruana who each had 8.5 points.

With this victory, Gukesh joined the elite group of Indian chess players who have qualified for the World title match, following in the footsteps of Viswanathan Anand. He will face the reigning champion Ding Liren of China in the upcoming championship. In the women’s tournament, China’s Tan Zhongyi emerged victorious with nine points, leading the competition by a 1.5-point margin. Indian players Koneru Humpy and R. Vaishali tied for second place with Lei Tingjie of China, each earning 7.5 points.

The stage is set for an exciting World chess championship, with Gukesh representing India in the open category and Tan Zhongyi competing against Ju Wenjun in the women’s championship. The final standings of the tournament showcased the talent and skill of the participants, with Gukesh leading the pack in the open category and Tan Zhongyi dominating the women’s event. It is a proud moment for Indian chess fans to see Gukesh taking on the world’s best players and showcasing his skills on a global stage.