Indian Teen Prodigy Becomes Youngest World Chess Champion

Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest undisputed world chess champion on Thursday, defeating China's Ding Liren in the final match in Singapore.

The 18-year-old broke into tears, covering his face with both hands, after Ding made a mistake in a thrilling endgame that seemed headed for a draw. Gukesh then stood up, raised his hands in victory, and smiled brightly.

"My strategy was to push hard in every game," Gukesh said. "It only takes one game for the plan to work."

Fans cheered loudly, including many Indians and Singaporeans of Indian heritage who had come to watch. They chanted Gukesh's name as he entered the press conference. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him, calling it a "remarkable accomplishment" and praising his talent, hard work, and determination. Modi also said the victory inspired millions of young people to dream big.

The $2.5 million prize money was divided based on wins. Gukesh earned $1.35 million, while Ding took home $1.15 million.

The decisive game had been leaning toward a draw, but Gukesh, with a one-pawn advantage supported by a rook and bishop, pressed on and succeeded. Ding, 32, made a critical mistake in the endgame, giving Gukesh the opening he needed. A disappointed Ding admitted, "I was totally in shock when I realized my blunder."

Gukesh won the championship with a score of 7.5 to Ding's 6.5, becoming the youngest player to claim the title. He surpassed Russia's Garry Kasparov, who won at 22, and became only the second Indian world champion after Viswanathan Anand.

Despite his win, Gukesh praised Ding, saying he "fought like a true champion" despite not being at his best physically. Before the tournament, Ding had spoken about dealing with mental health challenges last year, which led him to take a break from chess.

Gukesh earned his spot in the championship by winning the Candidates Tournament in Toronto earlier this year. The Singapore series, which started on November 25, included nine draws in 14 games. Ding won the first game, but Gukesh evened the score in game three. After several draws, Gukesh won game 11, Ding equalized in game 12, and game 13 ended in a draw before the decisive 14th game.

Born to a doctor father and a microbiologist mother, Gukesh started playing chess at seven and became India’s youngest grandmaster at 12 years and seven months. While dedicated to chess, he has shared his love for the sitcom Friends and often wears a tilak on his forehead during matches.

Gukesh has achieved other significant milestones, including victories over Fabiano Caruana and five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen. After his latest triumph, he said, "This is just the beginning. My goal is to stay at the top for as long as possible."