Thu Dec 12 15:56:03 UTC 2024: ## Indian Teen Gukesh Dommaraju Makes History as Youngest World Chess Champion
**NEW DELHI, December 24, 2024** – Eighteen-year-old Indian chess prodigy D. Gukesh has etched his name in history, becoming the youngest-ever World Chess Champion after a dramatic victory over China’s Ding Liren in 2024. His triumph marks a significant moment for Indian chess, building upon a remarkable year that saw him achieve a 2750 Elo rating – the youngest ever to do so – surpass Viswanathan Anand as India’s top-ranked player, and clinch India’s first Chess Olympiad gold medal. Gukesh began his chess journey at the age of seven, showcasing early talent with success at the Under-9 Asian School Chess Championships in 2015.
Gukesh’s achievement joins a prestigious list of young world champions. Previous record holders include Garry Kasparov (Russia), who became champion at 22 in 1985 after a legendary rivalry with Anatoly Karpov; Magnus Carlsen (Norway), who won at 22 in 2013 and holds the highest ever Elo rating for a human; Mikhail Tal (Latvia-Soviet Union), who achieved the title at 23 in 1960; and Anatoly Karpov (Russia), who won at 23 in 1975. Each of these players showcased exceptional talent from a young age, with Kasparov famously defeating (and later being defeated by) the IBM computer Deep Blue, and Carlsen drawing with Kasparov and defeating Karpov as a 13-year-old. Beyond their chess careers, both Kasparov and Karpov later transitioned into politics.
First Piper 