World Chess Championship: D Gukesh makes history with victory over Ding Liren, becomes youngest-ever champion

India's Gukesh Dommaraju has become the youngest world chess champion at the age of 18, defeating defending champion Ding Liren of China on Thursday. The decisive 14th game in Singapore ended dramatically when Liren made a critical blunder in the endgame, allowing Gukesh to secure the win. This victory not only crowns Gukesh as the 18th world champion but also breaks Garry Kasparov's record, who became the youngest champion at 22 in 1985.

During the final game of the FIDE World Chess Championship 2024, Gukesh, playing with black pieces, capitalized on Liren's mistake under pressure. Despite being in a position to force a tie-breaker, Liren's collapse led to a 6.5-7.5 loss.

Ding Liren's performance had been under scrutiny since his win against Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi in 2023. His form had dipped, with no wins in classical games since January and a strategy of avoiding top events to regain form. However, Liren showed promise with a surprise win in the opening round and managed to even the score in round 12 after two wins for Gukesh and eight draws.

The championship, a 14-round classical event, featured a prize fund of $2.5 million. Gukesh qualified in April by winning the Candidates Tournament, marking his path to this historic victory.

Highlights: D Gukesh vs Ding Liren

World number one Magnus Carlsen, who had been world champion since 2013, relinquished his title in 2022, citing a lack of motivation. This opened the field for new contenders, culminating in Gukesh's remarkable achievement.