New Delhi: India is buzzing about 18-year-old chess Grandmaster D Gukesh after his historic victory at the World Championship. Gukesh became the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, defeating China’s Ding Liren in a gripping 14-match contest. With both players tied at 6.5 points, the final game became the decider.
An old video of the star player is going viral on social media in which he answers a question related to his personal life. In the clip, Gukesh was asked whether he had a girlfriend. He reacted to the question with an innocent smile and said, “No, this is not on.”
When asked about the impact of having a girlfriend on his game, Gukesh responded, “It probably takes some time away from chess. I haven’t really thought about it much. I don’t think it’s the right age for those things. It may not make a huge difference, but it still takes time away from chess.”
The 18-year-old from Chennai capitalized on a blunder by Ding in the decisive 14th game, winning 7.5 to 6.5 and becoming only the second Indian to claim the World Chess Championship title.
By defeating Ding, Gukesh became the 18th World Champion in chess history, breaking Garry Kasparov’s record as the youngest to win the title at 18, marking the rise of a new chess king.
Gukesh is the second Indian to win the World Chess Championship, securing the title just over a decade after Viswanathan Anand lost it to Magnus Carlsen in 2013. Carlsen’s abdication in 2023 allowed Ding to defeat Ian Nepomniachtchi.
D. Gukesh, the 18-year-old chess prodigy from Chennai, recently made history by winning the World Chess Championship. With a stunning 7.5-6.5 victory over Ding Liren, Gukesh dethroned the reigning champion, becoming the youngest-ever World Chess Champion and only the second Indian to achieve this remarkable feat.
