Gukesh Dommaraju, an Indian teenager, became the world’s youngest chess champion on Thursday, defeating China’s defending champion Ding Liren in a spectacular turn.
Dommaraju, 18, is four years younger than the previous record holder, Russian grandmaster Garry Kasparov, who was 22 when he won the title in 1985.
The Chennai prodigy has long been a chess celebrity, having become a grandmaster at the age of twelve.
However, he was regarded as the outsider heading into the final round of the FIDE World Chess Championship, which was held in Singapore this year.
Dommaraju won the game with black after Ding, who had been in a strong position, made a fatally poor move that cost him his final powerful piece.
His blunder gave the 18-year-old victory, after previously ranking fifth in the world and second in his home country.
This past week, chess lovers all over the world watched the 14-game World Championship competition with great interest.
Dommaraju and Ding each had eight draws and two victories heading into Thursday’s final game.
A win earns players one point, while a draw earns them half a point. Dommaraju won the title on Thursday with a final score of 7.5 to 6.5, becoming only the 18th world chess champion.
The teenager is from Chennai, which is recognized as India’s chess capital due to the number of national champions it has produced.
But there were no exceptional chess players in his family; he was enrolled in chess sessions after school because his father, a surgeon, and mother, a medical professor, needed a place to put him.
Coaches recognized his talent and encouraged his family to invest in his training. In 2019, at the age of 12 years and seven months, he became the third-youngest grandmaster in history while still in high school.
The teenager has already discussed how yoga and focused thinking have helped him cope with the challenges of his chess career.
He remained concentrated on Thursday as his opponent, defending champion Ding, looked to falter under pressure.
Since becoming China’s first chess world champion in 2023, Ding has faced worries about his form throughout the year.
He had taken a sabbatical from chess for the majority of the year after discussing his depression and mental health issues.
However, his superb win over Dommaraju in the championship’s first game last month, as well as his victory in Round 12, signaled momentum.
Thursday’s game saw several hours of tight play, with commentators predicting a tie.
However, on the 55th move, Ding made a fatal mistake by placing his rook into a position where it could be captured.
He slumped on the table as soon as he realised his mistake.
“Ding seemed to have a risk-free chance to push for a win, but instead liquidated into a pawn-down endgame,” Chess.com stated in its post-game description.
“It should have been drawn, but Ding blundered as the pressure grew.”
He resigned three moves later. Dommaraju fell into tears as the gathering erupted in cheers.
“I probably got so emotional because I did not really expect to win that position,” he said.
At the age of 18, he is only the second Indian player to win the world chess championship, behind five-time winner Viswanathan Anand, who last won in 2012.
“It’s a proud moment for chess, a proud moment for India… and for me, a very personal moment of pride.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the first public leaders to applaud.
“Historic and exemplary!” he wrote on X. “Congratulations to Gukesh D on his remarkable accomplishment. This is the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work and unwavering determination.”
The FIDE World Chess Championship had a $2.5 million (£1.96 million) prize pool.
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