Gukesh Dommaraju - The prince who became the youngest king of the chess board
Eleven years ago, seven-year-old chess enthusiast Gukesh Dommaraju saw the first Indian world champion, Viswanathan Anand, lose his title to Norway’s Magnus Carlsen in the title match played in the customary soundproof glass box room, in Chennai.
The son of an ENT surgeon father and a microbiologist mother, the young Gukesh began to dream of bringing the world title back to India, of competing in that glass box —fishtank in chesspeak — in which you’re visible to the watchers outside but can’t see them.
Gukesh realised that dream in Singapore today when he dethroned defending champion Ding Liren of China by winning the last game of their14-round classical format match,ending up with 7.5 points to Ding’s 6.5.
At 18 years, six months and two weeks, Gukesh is the youngest world chess champion ever, breaking the record of Russia’s Garry Kasparov, who was 22 when he won the crown in 1985. In a series going back to Wilhelm Steinitz in 1886, Gukesh is now the 18th world champion. He broke another record by winning three world tournaments in one calendar year —the Candidates tournament to earn the right to challenge Ding, then gold at the Chess Olympiad with the Indian team, and the world title today.
This win has huge significance as this is probably India’s biggest victory against China at the world level in a game in which both countries compete on an equal footing— unlike, say, athletics (China dominates), or cricket or hockey (India is superior).
After winning, Gukesh revealed that the dream of winning the world title began in 2013, when Anand lost to Carlsen. “In2013… I watched Vishy sir lose. I was young but that vision has stayed in my memory,” said Gukesh. “The title was taken away from India. I wanted to be in the same glass box and bring back the title. That has been my dream for the last 10 years or so —to be in the glass box. And my best moment, before this, was when I entered the glass box for the first game.”
It was a befitting birthday gift for Anand, who turned 55 yesterday.
Continuing with his aggression, novelties and display of guts and nervelessness today, Gukesh kept pressing for a win in a rook-bishop pawn endgame, theoretically drawn at the Grandmaster level. Ding, playing with white, had opted for the Reversed Grunfeld Opening, in which the white bishop is fianchettoed to control the h1-a8 diagonal. This control had proved decisive in Game12, in which he beat Gukesh. But not today. Gukesh produced a surprise move, 6.Ne7, to buttress the queenside, which had been left weak in Game 12.
Ding seemed to be out of preparation once again and began exchanging pieces in an attempt to force a draw and go for the rapid and blitz tiebreaks tomorrow. However, Gukesh continued putting pressure on him, avoiding the draw moves and exchange of pieces whenever he spotted an advantage. In the endgame, Ding blinked under pressure and committed a blunder on move 55 when he went for a rook trade. Gukesh had three pawns against two of Ding, while both had one rook and bishop each.
Gukesh could not believe what he saw on the board. His eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't make his move immediately. He took his time, reflecting on the position, had a sip of water, and then took Ding’s rook. Ding held his head in disbelief and resigned after three moves.
Gukesh, whose meditative pose on the chair next to the board has become as famous as his rival’s ‘Dingchilling’ smile, could not hold back any longer. He had not shown any emotion, joy or dejection, in the last 13 games, whether he won or lost, but today the floodgates opened. He sobbed and cried as he set up the board again, setting the black pieces back on the board, as is his habit — a gentlemanly chess tradition. He accepted the congratulations on the chair and then got up, throwing his hands up in the air to finally exult in the moment.
At the post-match media briefing, Ding was asked about losing the theoretical endgame. “It was a blunder… a shock. So… there will be no games tomorrow,” he said, referring to the scheduled tiebreak games in case the match was drawn. He seemed desolate and heartbroken, but displayed his ‘Dingchilling’ smile again and said, “I played my best tournament. It could be better. It seems a fair result to lose in the end. No regrets. I will continue to play. I will.”
“It seemed like a draw, but the position was tricky. We had rook and bishop but I had three pawns against his two. So, there were a lot of possibilities,” Gukesh said. His accuracy, at 99per cent correct moves, was far superior to 95.2 percent of his rival’s.
Asked to reflect on the victory, Gukesh displayed maturity beyond his years, paying tribute to his rival. “We all know who Ding is. How much pressure he has to face to be the world champion and try to defend it,” said the teenager. “And how much fight he gave in this match. He is a true champion. He is areal world champion. In such matches, the champions steps up the momentum. He came here. He was struggling with form and health for the last two years. For me, he is a true champion. I would like to thank him. This could not have been the same for me if he was not my opponent.”
On what he told his mother after the game over the phone, he said, “We didn’t say anything. We were crying. I think I said congratulations.” Gukesh’s father, present at the venue, cried with joy when he hugged his son in celebration.
Gukesh has won many a heart with his humility, and he won more admirers when he shared his thoughts on what it means to be the world champion. “My career has just started. I want to have a very long career and to stay at the top. Winning a World Championship does not mean I am the best. There is Magnus Carlsen. I want to achieve the greatness which he had,” said Gukesh.
