Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju has turn into the youngest-ever world chess champion after beating defending champion China’s Ding Liren in a dramatic activate Thursday.
Dommaraju, at age 18, is 4 years youthful than Russian grandmaster Garry Kasparov was when he received the title in 1985 at age 22.
The Chennai prodigy has lengthy been a celebrity within the chess world, having attained the standing of chess grandmaster on the age of 12.
But he was seen because the challenger going into the ultimate of the FIDE World Chess Championship match held in Singapore this yr.
Playing on black, Dommaraju received the sport after an under-pressure Ding made a uncommon mistake whereas in a strong place, recreation commentators noticed.
The 18-year-old clinched victory with a ultimate championship rating of seven.5-6.5 – bringing an finish to a fortnight of the 2 gamers’ matches being intently adopted by chess followers worldwide.
Ding, China’s first world chess champion, had confronted stress over his type all yr, ever since successful the 2023 title.
The Chinese participant had not received a long-format “classical” recreation since January and was seen to be avoiding different top-level competitions.
But he had put in a powerful opening recreation and received the final match towards Dommaraju, suggesting momentum.
Both gamers had two victories apiece and eight attracts going into the ultimate recreation on Thursday.
After hours of tight play, Ding on transfer 55 moved his rook to a fatally weak place that gave Dommaraju alternative to capitalise.
Immediately recognising his mistake Ding slumped on the desk.
“Ding appeared to have a risk-free probability to push for a win however as a substitute liquidated right into a pawn-down endgame,” Chess.com wrote in its post-game abstract. “It ought to have been drawn, however Ding blundered because the stress grew.”
It was endgame from there on. Ding resigned three strikes later.
Dommaraju promptly burst into tears because the room erupted with cheers from spectators.
“I in all probability obtained so emotional as a result of I didn’t actually anticipate to win that place,” he stated in response to reviews.
At age 18, he’s additionally solely the second Indian participant to turn into world chess champion, after five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Narendra Modi was among the many first to sound his praises.
“Historic and exemplary!” he wrote on X. “Congratulations to Gukesh D on his outstanding accomplishment. This is the results of his unparalleled expertise, exhausting work and unwavering dedication.”
The FIDE World Chess Championship carries a $2.5m (£1.96m) prize fund.
