Mon Nov 25 00:22:00 UTC 2024: ## Indian Teen Gukesh Favored to Win World Chess Championship
**Singapore, November 24, 2024** – Eighteen-year-old Indian chess prodigy D. Gukesh is poised to make history. He is the favorite to win the World Chess Championship, beginning Monday in Singapore, against reigning champion Ding Liren. A victory would make Gukesh the youngest World Chess Champion ever, surpassing Garry Kasparov’s record set in 1985.
Despite Ding’s experience and previous World Championship win, Gukesh enters the best-of-14 match as the favorite due to his superior recent form and Ding’s admitted struggles with mental health and a dip in his ranking. Ding, currently ranked 23rd in the world, has openly sought professional help to address these challenges. Three years ago, he held the number 3 spot globally.
The match pits youth against experience, mirroring the 2013 championship between Viswanathan Anand (Gukesh’s mentor) and Magnus Carlsen. Anand, then the champion, was the underdog against the young Carlsen, a situation now reversed.
Gukesh’s rise is part of India’s burgeoning chess dominance. His victory would add another chapter to the nation’s chess success story, following Anand’s historic win in 2000. While Ding holds a favorable head-to-head record against Gukesh, the young challenger’s current form and the unpredictable nature of chess make this championship a highly anticipated event. The match promises excitement, with the potential for a thrilling upset.
First Piper 