Who Is Gukesh D? Indian Prodigy Eyes World Chess Championship Title 2024

China’s Ding Liren is set to defend his world chess championship title against India’s rising star, Gukesh Dommaraju, over the next three weeks, between 25 November and 13 December 2024 in Singapore. This historic match marks the first time in the 138-year history of world championship match play that will see two men from Asia compete for chess’s most prestigious title.

Who Is Gukesh D? Indian Prodigy Eyes World Chess Championship Title In 2024

Gukesh Dommaraju, an 18-year-old Indian chess prodigy, has taken the chess world by storm with his meteoric rise. His talent was first identified by his coach Bhaskar, who helped him achieve a FIDE rating within six months of learning the game.

In January 2019, at just 12 years, 7 months, and 17 days, Gukesh became the second-youngest grandmaster in chess history, narrowly missing Sergey Karjakin’s record by 17 days. He achieved his third grandmaster norm at the 17th Delhi International Chess Grandmaster Open.

In 2022, Gukesh crossed the 2700 Elo rating mark, becoming the third-youngest player to do so. A defining moment in his career came in September 2023 when he reached 2750 Elo points, making him the youngest player ever to achieve this feat. He also surpassed Indian legend Viswanathan Anand to become the top-ranked Indian player, ending Anand’s 37-year reign.

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Who is Ding Liren?

Ding Liren became China’s first men’s world chess champion in 2023 by defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi in a dramatic tiebreak in Kazakhstan. Renowned for his solid and precise playing style, Ding excels at creating small advantages from quiet openings.

The 32-year-old, originally from Zhejiang province, is the highest-rated Chinese chess player in history. A graduate of Peking University Law School, Ding once went unbeaten in 100 consecutive classical games, a record that stood until Magnus Carlsen surpassed it in 2019. Despite his achievements, Ding has slipped in the world rankings and currently sits at 23rd with a FIDE rating of 2728, making him the lowest-ranked world champion of the Elo era.

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A Historic Showdown

Ranked No. 5 globally with a FIDE rating of 2783, Gukesh enters this match against Ding who is 23rd with a rating of 2728. Despite Ding’s lower ranking, his experience as the reigning champion makes the contest highly anticipated.

This historic clash will determine whether Ding can retain his title or if Gukesh will achieve his ultimate dream of becoming a world champion.