Young Indian Chess Sensation Gukesh Aims for World Title
In a remarkable rise through the ranks of world chess, 18-year-old Indian prodigy Duvvaka Gukesh is set to become the latest contender for the coveted title of world champion.
Just over a decade ago, at the age of seven, Gukesh made his first visit to watch a live chess match at the Hyatt Regency in Chennai, where he witnessed a thrilling encounter between Viswanathan Anand and Magnus Carlsen. Little did the child know that this exposure would lay the foundation for his future success in the game.
Fast forward to today, and Gukesh is on the cusp of making history as the youngest player to challenge for the world championship title. Next week, he will take on reigning world champion Ding Liren in Singapore in a 14-game royal rumble, with the stakes higher than ever before.
World chess number one Magnus Carlsen acknowledges that Gukesh remains a mystery to him, attributing his superiority in classical format over faster time controls to an unusual depth of calculation. "He calculates non-stop," the five-time world champion noted. "In classical chess, it works out quite well, but then you see in some games he just makes very strange positional decisions because he doesn’t have the same filter."
Former world champion Viswanathan Anand, who has taken Gukesh under his wing in recent years, cautions that the Indian prodigy's success may not be solely due to his natural aptitude. "It was because he needed to qualify for the World Championship," Anand observes. "But you could easily imagine that some day he decides to improve in other time controls and he’ll get better there as well."
Gukesh, currently ranked 2783 in classical format, has struggled with rapid and blitz, but has shown incredible form in classical games, winning several tournaments and taking an individual gold medal at the Chess Olympiad.
As Gukesh prepares for his showdown with Ding Liren, his teammate Arjun Erigaisi praises the young player's unique approach to the game. "Gukesh relies quite a lot on calculation... He has a very deep tree of analysis," Erig aisai noted. Arjun Erigaisi also observed that Gukesh and he form an aggressive partnership on the board, with both players prone to taking risks.
With his sights set firmly on the top prize, 18-year-old Gukesh is poised to become the latest chapter in a story that has already captivated chess fans worldwide. Will this young Indian prodigy succeed where many others have failed? Only time will tell as the world watches with bated breath to see what the future holds for chess's most unlikely sensation.