With his World Championship triumph on Thursday, D Gukesh announced his arrival in the big league, but it was his humility and persistence that truly stood out. Even when Ding Liren blundered in the decisive Game 14, Gukesh didn’t rush to capitalise on the mistake. Instead, he calmly assessed the position and went for the kill. His composure under pressure demonstrated not only his skill but his mental strength.
After securing the title, Gukesh’s first thoughts were for Ding, acknowledging his opponent’s resilience. Gukesh even tried to hide his smile, understanding the pain that Ding must have felt after the big blunder in the end.
As legendary Susan Polgar recently noted, Gukesh has the potential to be ‘the best Chess Ambassador ever’ — his professionalism, maturity, and grace under pressure make him a role model for the next generation of players.
For Gukesh, becoming world champion is just the start of a much larger journey, one that he hopes will eventually place him among the all-time greats of the sport.
As Gukesh sat across the board from Ding Liren in the World Chess Championship match, he couldn’t help but think back to 2013, when Magnus Carlsen dethroned Viswanathan Anand in Chennai to become the World Chess Champion. A young Gukesh, then just 7 years old, was part of the crowd that day, witnessing the end of an era.
“When Magnus won, I wanted to be the one to bring back the title to India,” Gukesh said in an emotional press conference after his victory.
“This dream that I had more than 10 years ago is the single most important thing in my life.”
In a sense, Gukesh’s victory is also a tribute to Anand, India’s first World Chess Champion, whose legacy is woven deeply into the fabric of Indian chess.
Anand, often revered as the father of modern Indian chess, paved the way for a generation of young players, including Gukesh, to challenge the global elite. Through his mentorship at the WestBridge-Anand Chess Academy, Anand and his team has played a pivotal role in shaping Gukesh’s rise, providing not just technical guidance, but also the wisdom that comes from years at the top.
RELENTLESS AND FOCUSSED
The World Chess Championship match itself was the culmination of months of preparation, strategy, and growth. Heading into the final game, the score was tied 6.5-6.5, and the match was on a knife’s edge.
Ding, the reigning champion, was fighting not only for his title but also for his place in history, having battled through a period of inconsistent form. Many pundits had already written off Ding’s chances, doubting his ability to retain the title after a series of uncharacteristic performances over the last two years. Some even said Ding wouldn’t turn up to defend his title.
However, Ding showed incredible resilience, managing to stretch the match into the final game. Had it not been for the late blunder on Thursday, Ding would have had a chance to redeem himself in the tiebreakers on Friday.
But Gukesh’s calmness in the face of immense pressure proved to be his defining strength. The young Indian grandmaster, known for his remarkable composure, kept his nerves intact.
Gukesh’s relentless drive to push until the last move paid off in Game 14. Many pundits, including Viswanathan Anand, predicted a draw during the midgame, but Gukesh’s persistence in the endgame made all the difference.
Anand, speaking to India Today, credited Gukesh for his determination. “We had a pleasant surprise today. It wasn’t accidental. He was rewarded for his attitude of continuing to fight, even when it looked like a drawn position. Maybe, 9 out of 10 times, you won’t get rewarded. But his attitude, combined with Ding’s mistake, led to that beautiful ending,” Anand said.
JUST THE BEGINNING
Despite the euphoria of becoming the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, Gukesh remains grounded, clear-eyed, and focused on the road ahead.
“This is a huge step for me, but my goal has always been to be at the very top for the longest time possible,” Gukesh said after his victory.
“Becoming the world champion doesn’t mean I am the best player in the world. Obviously, there’s Magnus Carlsen, and he will always be a motivating factor for me.”
Carlsen’s continued dominance, despite stepping away from the World Championship scene, has set a bar that Gukesh aspires to reach.
For Gukesh, the journey is far from over; it’s just begun. “I want to have a very, very long career and stay at the very top,” he said.
A SUBDUED CHAMPIONSHIP?
The 2024 World Championship was not without its share of complications. Perhaps the most significant shadow cast over the event was the absence of Magnus Carlsen, who had chosen not to compete for the title. Carlsen, regarded as one of the greatest players in chess history, had previously dominated the World Championship for nearly a decade, successfully defending his title five times between 2013 and 2021.
However, in 2023, he decided against defending his crown, citing a lack of motivation and an aversion to the exhaustive preparation required for the championship cycle.
For many, Carlsen’s absence dulled the prestige of the tournament, with pundits questioning whether the title was now less significant without the reigning champion in the mix.
Even Garry Kasparov, who had spoken out about the historic lineage of the World Chess Championship, admitted that Carlsen’s withdrawal had taken the shine off the event.
“My thoughts on the historical world championship lineage with Magnus outside are known,” Kasparov said, acknowledging the void left by Carlsen’s absence.
However, the Russian legend also took the opportunity to praise both Gukesh and Ding for putting on a spirited contest, one that demonstrated their immense skill and character over the course of the match.
A STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEM
Behind every world champion is a solid support system, and Gukesh was no exception.
While his individual brilliance was on full display during the World Championship, he credited much of his success to his team.
His seconds — Grzegorz Gajewski, Radek Wojtaszek, Pentala Harikrishna, Vincent Keymer, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, and Jan Klimkowski-along with his mental coach, Paddy Upton, were integral to his preparations.
Upton, known for his work with the 2011 Indian World Cup cricket team, brought invaluable psychological insight to Gukesh’s training, ensuring that he was mentally prepared for the high-stress environment of a World Championship match.
The presence of such a diverse and talented team is a reflection of the growing support Indian players are receiving. Through the WestBridge-Anand Chess Academy, Gukesh has had access to some of the best minds in the game. Anand’s mentorship, even though not officially part of the team, has been a constant source of guidance. The collaborative environment created by Anand, which encourages young players to train alongside world-class experts, has become a crucial factor in the rise of Indian chess.
VISHY’S CHILDREN ON THE RISE?
Gukesh’s triumph is part of a broader narrative of Indian chess’s meteoric rise in recent years. With the help of mentors like Anand and a strong infrastructure supporting young talent, India is emerging as a powerhouse on the global chess stage.
The nation’s double gold at the 2024 Chess Olympiad — won by both the men’s and women’s teams — underscores the depth of talent emerging from India.
Gukesh’s victory is the culmination of this exciting era, but it also signals that this is just the beginning.
As Gukesh himself said, “I want to be at the very top for as long as I can.”
And if his meteoric rise is anything to go by, the world of chess should brace itself for many more years of greatness from D Gukesh.
