India’s chess prodigy, D Gukesh, etched his name in history on Thursday by becoming the youngest-ever World Chess Champion at just 18 years old.
In a nail-biting finale held in Singapore, Gukesh triumphed over reigning champion Ding Liren of China, clinching the title with a score of 7.5-6.5 after 14 intense games.
The decisive moment came in the final game of the classical time-control series, which appeared destined for a draw until Gukesh seized a brilliant opportunity to secure victory.
With this extraordinary achievement, Gukesh has surpassed the legendary Garry Kasparov’s record of becoming the youngest world champion at 22 in 1985. He also joins the elite ranks of Viswanathan Anand, India’s five-time world champion, as only the second Indian to claim the coveted global title.
Having entered the championship as the youngest-ever challenger, following his victory at the Candidates tournament earlier this year, Gukesh has solidified his place among the greats of the game.
Take a look at the youngest World Chess Champions
