Kasparov Praises India's Gukesh Dommaraju as Better Player than Ding Liren, Cites Magnus Carlsen as Top Champion

Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov has lauded India's 18-year-old prodigy Gukesh Dommaraju as the "better player" than Chinese rival Ding Liren at last year's World Chess Championship. However, Kasparov added that Norway's top-ranked Magnus Carlsen is widely considered the better player than the reigning world champion from India.

Kasparov, who became the youngest world champion in 1985, pointed out that Gukesh was a favorite to win the championship due to Ding's decline after COVID-19. In contrast, Kasparov recalled Ding's dominant performance against Magnus Carlsen in 2019, citing it as an example of the Chinese player's phenomenal skills.

Gukesh, who became the youngest world champion at 18 years old last December in Singapore, is currently competing at the Grand Chess Tour event in Bucharest. Despite having drawn four games and lost two, Kasparov acknowledged Gukesh's impressive accomplishment, stating that he had "plenty of room and plenty of time to improve."

However, when compared directly to his own ascent to the throne at 22 years old, Kasparov highlighted the significance of competing against the top-ranked player in the world. He noted that Magnus Carlsen remains a dominant force, making it difficult for young players like Gukesh to surpass him.

Gukesh's championship win came after Ding retired as champion, allowing Gukesh to claim the title. While Kazparov praised Gukesh's achievements, he emphasized that Magnus Carlsen's status as the top-ranked player necessitates a higher level of competition and improvement for young players.

The Grand Chess Tour event continues with Gukesh aiming to break his losing streak against Romanian strongman Alireza Firoujza.