D Gukesh creates history by becoming youngest player to win FIDE Candidates, to challenge for World Championship

17-year-old Grandmaster Gukesh Dommaraju scripted history by becoming the youngest ever player to win the prestigious FIDE Candidates tournament and earn the right to challenge for the World Championships crown later this year.

Gukesh D is the only Indian player after Viswanathan Anand to win the Candidate Tournament in Toronto, Canada. D Gukesh drew his final-round match in black pieces against Hikaru Nakamura of the USA to achieve the massive feat.

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He scored 9/14 points to clinch the first place. With the win, Gukesh has earned the right to face Ding Liren, the reigning world champion, for the world title later in the year.

Notably, Gukesh needed to hold Nakamura for a draw and then hope Grandmasters Nepomniachtchi and Carauana to also settle for a draw. Had Gukesh won his final match, the result would have come earlier. However, he had to sit patiently with his fingers crossed as Nepomniachtchi and Carauana also played a thrilling draw which went past midnight.

"Congratulations to @DGukesh for becoming the youngest challenger. The @WacaChess family is so proud of what you have done. I’m personally very proud of how you played and handled tough situations. Enjoy the moment," Viswanathan Anand wrote on X.

Gukesh will have the chance to become the youngest world champion when he challenges Ding Liren later this year. Magnus Carlsen and Garry Kasparov were 22 when they became the world champions.

India's chess prodigy D Gukesh played a clever game to defeat France's Alireza Firouzja in a round 13 clash of the FIDE Candidates 2024 on Sunday. The victory pushed Gukesh to the sole leadership position in the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2024 with an impressive score of 8.5 points after 13 rounds.