Indian Grandmaster Gukesh Creates History, Becomes Youngest World Chess Champion

India’s very own D Gukesh outplayed China’s Ding Liren in the 14th round to win the World Chess Championship 2024 title in Singapore on Thursday. Gukesh managed to seal the requisite 7.5 points against 6.5 of Liren after securing victory in the last classical time control game of the 14-game match that looked like a draw. On the back of this feat, the 18-year-old Gukesh became the youngest world chess champion, surpassing the previous record of Garry Kasparov.

Gukesh started the championship on the back foot as he sustained a loss in the opening round but then the Indian grandmaster made a brilliant comeback to level the final in the third round. Earlier, Gukesh made it to the World Championship after winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year. 

The emotional moment that 18-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju became the 18th world chess champion  pic.twitter.com/jRIZrYeyCF — Chess.com (chesscom) December 12, 2024

"It's the best day of my life," Gukesh said after the win.  The young chess player has been in the dream form of his career as earlier he guided India to a historic gold in the Chess Olympiad earlier this year.

pic.twitter.com/tYJIw4xoC1

— Chess.com (chesscom) December 12, 2024

CONGRATULATIONS TO GUKESH, THE NEW WORLD CHAMPION 

The 18-year-old Indian star has defeated the reigning champion, Ding Liren, to become the youngest-ever undisputed classical chess world champion. Wow!  pic.twitter.com/j0BaraUK4j — Chess.com (chesscom) December 12, 2024

List Of Youngest World Chess Champions

D Gukesh - 18 years 8 months 14 day - December 12, 2024

Garry Kasparov - 22 years 6 months 27 days - November 9, 1985

Magnus Carlsen - 22 years 11 months 24 days - November 23, 2013

Mikhail Tal - 23 years 5 months 28 days - May 7, 1960

Anatoly Karpov - 23 years 10 months 11 days - April 3, 1975

Vladimir Kramnik - 25 years 4 months 10 days - November 4, 2000

Emanuel Lasker - 25 years 5 months 2 days - May 26, 1894