Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju has made history by becoming the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, defeating reigning champion Ding Liren of China in a dramatic match on Thursday. At 18, Dommaraju surpassed the previous record held by Russian grandmaster Garry Kasparov, who was 22 when he claimed the title in 1985.
Dommaraju, a chess prodigy from Chennai, has been a rising star in the chess world, earning the title of grandmaster at just 12 years old. Despite his impressive achievements, he was considered an underdog going into the final round of the 2024 FIDE World Chess Championship in Singapore.
Playing with the black pieces, Gukesh Dommaraju secured his victory after Ding Liren, who had been in a strong position, made a critical mistake that allowed Dommaraju to capture his last powerful piece. This blunder handed the 18-year-old his first World Chess Championship title.
Before this win, Dommaraju was ranked fifth globally and second in India. The 14-game World Championship, which has captured the attention of chess enthusiasts worldwide over the past two weeks, culminated in this dramatic turn of events.
Heading into the final game on Thursday, Gukesh Dommaraju and Ding Liren were tied with eight draws and two wins each. In the scoring system, players earn one point for a win and half a point for a draw. Dommaraju secured the title with a final score of 7.5 to 6.5, becoming the 18th World Chess Champion.
Dommaraju hails from Chennai, which is known as India’s chess hub due to its rich history of producing top players. Despite this, there were no chess players in his family. His parents, a surgeon and a medical professor, enrolled him in after-school chess sessions simply to keep him occupied. It was there that coaches recognized his potential and encouraged his family to invest in his development. At just 12 years and seven months old, he became a grandmaster in 2019, making him the third-youngest ever to achieve the title.
The teenager has shared that practices like yoga and mindfulness have helped him manage the intense pressures of his chess career.
On Thursday, Gukesh Dommaraju remained focused as his opponent, defending champion Ding Liren, seemed to struggle under the pressure. Ding, who became China’s first chess world champion in 2023, had faced doubts about his form throughout the year. He had taken a break from chess for most of the year, citing battles with depression and mental health.
However, Ding’s impressive win over Dommaraju in the first game of the championship and another victory in Round 12 had shown signs of recovery and momentum. Thursday’s match was tightly contested, with many commentators predicting a draw. But on the 55th move, Ding made a costly mistake, placing his rook in a vulnerable position that Dommaraju quickly capitalized on. Realizing his error, Ding slumped at the table, visibly disappointed.
Chess.com noted that Ding Liren had a seemingly safe opportunity to push for a win but instead transitioned into a pawn-down endgame, which should have ended in a draw. However, the mounting pressure led to a critical blunder, and Ding resigned just three moves later. Dommaraju, overwhelmed with emotion, burst into tears as the room erupted in celebration.
“I probably got so emotional because I didn’t really expect to win from that position,” Dommaraju said afterward.
At 18, he became only the second Indian to win the World Chess Championship, following five-time champion Viswanathan Anand, who last won in 2012.
“It’s a proud moment for chess, for India, and a very personal moment of pride for me,” Dommaraju said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was quick to congratulate him, calling it “historic and exemplary” on X (formerly Twitter). “Congratulations to Gukesh D on his remarkable accomplishment. This is the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work, and unwavering determination,” he wrote.
The FIDE World Chess Championship has a prize fund of $2.5 million (£1.96 million).