Dommaraju Gukesh clinched the World Chess Championship title by defeating a Chinese opponent in the decisive 14th game. The championship final, which began on November 25, featured 13 games played between the two competitors up until December 11. With the score tied at 6.5-6.5, Gukesh emerged victorious in the 14th game, taking the lead with a final score of 7.5-6.5.
Gukesh has now become the second Indian to win the World Chess Championship, following in the footsteps of Viswanathan Anand, who claimed the title in 2012. Notably, Gukesh also won the FIDE Candidates Chess Tournament at the age of 17, becoming the youngest player to achieve that milestone.
The match saw Gukesh win the 11th game before his opponent, Liren, staged a comeback in the 12th. By Sunday, after 11 games, Gukesh led 6-5, with eight games ending in draws, two wins for Gukesh, and one for Liren. However, Liren’s victory in the 12th game tied the score once again.
In the 13th game, held on Wednesday, Gukesh was forced into a draw after 68 moves, leaving the score deadlocked at 6.5-6.5. Throughout the championship, Gukesh secured wins in the 3rd, 11th, and 14th games, while Liren claimed victories in the 1st and 12th games. The remaining games ended in draws.
Dommaraju Gukesh, born on May 7, 2006, in Chennai, began playing chess at the age of seven. His initial coach was Bhaskar Nagaiya, an international chess player and home tutor in Chennai. Later, Gukesh trained under Viswanathan Anand, who provided him with deeper insights into the game. Gukesh’s father is a doctor, and his mother is a microbiologist.