D Gukesh, an 18-year-old Indian Grandmaster (GM), won the 2024 FIDE Candidates Tournament, becoming the youngest player to ever compete in the FIDE World Chess Championship.
D Gukesh defeated well-known players like Alireza Firouzja and Hikaru Nakamura in the competition with an outstanding score of 9/14. If Gukesh wins against the current champion, GM Ding Liren, he will make history as the youngest Classical World Champion.
Who is D Gukesh
Indian GM Gukesh Dommaraju is a chess prodigy, the third-youngest grandmaster in history, and became the challenger to the 2024 FIDE World Championship on April 21, 2024, by winning the 2024 FIDE Candidates Tournament with a score of 9/14. He is the youngest-ever Candidates winner (age 17) and will be the youngest challenger for the championship in history (age 18). A win in the World Championship against GM Ding Liren would make Gukesh by far the youngest classical world champion ever.
Gukesh is one of India’s brightest chess talents. He earned the GM title at 12 years, 7 months, and 17 days of age—narrowly missing GM Sergey Karjakin’s record at the time by 17 days. In July 2022, he achieved a live rating of 2700, the fourth-youngest player to ever do so. In September 2023, he was ranked eighth in the world and first in India—ending GM Viswanathan Anand’s 37-year reign as India’s top-rated player.
Winner of the 2023 FIDE Circuit, Gukesh earned his way into the 2024 Candidates Tournament, making him one of the youngest players ever in that stepping-stone event to the world championship.
Gukesh’s Chess Career
In 2022, D Gukesh achieved a major milestone by surpassing Viswanathan Anand to become India’s highest-rated player. This put an end to Anand’s 37-year reign as the country’s top chess player.
Gukesh had an outstanding performance at the 2022 FIDE Chess Olympiad. He won an individual gold medal and played a crucial role in helping India secure a bronze medal. The outstanding rating of 2867 on the top board made Gukesh a standout player during the whole tournament.
In 2023, D Gukesh won the FIDE Circuit, which earned him a spot in the Candidates Tournament. He triumphed in the 2024 Candidates Tournament, thus securing his place as one of the top players in the world.
Gukesh in the World Chess Championship
As D Gukesh prepares for the World Championship, there is great anticipation around his performance. His exceptional skills and determination have made him a strong contender. If he wins, he will become the youngest-ever World Chess Champion. This would also further increase India’s influence in the global chess scene.