It is the time to conclude our series ‘World Champion Born On This Date’. During 2024, we have seen the journey of all World Champions. However, we had to mention D Gukesh as the future World Champion on his 18th Birthday. Now, as he has been crowned the 18th (Official) World Chess Champion, it would be appropriate to end the series with him.

Gukesh Dommaraju Reddy, also known as D Gukesh was born on 29th May 2006 in Chennai into a Telegu family. His family hails from the village of ChenchurajuKandriga in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh. His grandfather Shankar Raju worked in the Indian Railways.

However, Gukesh’s father, Rajinikanth, who is an ENT surgeon moved to Chennai from Andhra Pradesh to pursue his medical career. His mother, Padmavathi, is a microbiologist.

Gukesh studied at the Velammal Vidyalaya School in Mel Ayanambakkam, Chennai. He started playing Chess at the age of 7. Gukesh showed great intelligence, self-confidence and other commendable qualities as well as exceptional Chess skills at a very young age.

In 2017, Gukesh completed the requirements for the title of International Master. In 2018, he won the under-12 title at the World Youth Chess Championship and multiple gold medals at the Asian Youth Chess Championship.

In 2019, when Gukesh was 12 years, 7 months, and 17 days, he became the then second-youngest Grandmaster in the history of the game, after Sergey Karjakin.

In August 2022, at the age of 16, Gukesh won the individual gold medal on the first board in the Open in the 44th Chess Olympiad held at Mahabalipuram with a score of 9 out of 11. He was part of the India-2 team which won the bronze medal in the same tournament. Gukesh became the youngest player to achieve this feat.

In August 2023, Gukesh became the youngest player ever to reach a rating of 2750. In the Chess World Cup 2023 at Baku, he advanced to the quarterfinals, where he lost to Magnus Carlsen.

Gukesh was part of the Indian team that won the silver medal at the 2022 Asian Games. In the September 2023 rating list, Gukesh became the top-rated Indian player, surpassing Viswanathan Anand, who held this privilege for 37 long years. 

In April 2024, Gukesh was a part of the eight-player Candidates Tournament held in Toronto. He won the event smoothly, thereby, becoming the youngest player to become the ‘World Championship Challenger’ in the Open category.

In the 45th Chess Olympiad held at Budapest, Hungary in September 2024, Gukesh won both team and individual gold medals. He did not lose a single match and scored nine points from ten rounds. His performance on the top board helped India to win their first-ever team gold medal at the Olympiad.

In the World Chess Championship 2024, held at Singapore in November-December 2024, Gukesh won the top Chess crown by defeating the defending champion Ding Liren of China. He,  thus, became the youngest undisputed World Champion, at the age of 18 years and 195 days. In the process, Gukesh broke Garry Kasparov’s record by 4 years.

In 2018, Gukesh manifested to become the youngest Chess world champion. Now that he has achieved this phenomenal feat, he will probably look forward to becoming the world’s highest-rated player, surpassing today’s World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen. Our best wishes to him!

Learn from the Champion

Gukesh D (2783) – Ding Liren (2728) [A09]

2024 World Championship Sentosa (Round 11), 08.12.2024

Today we will see a crucial victory by Gukesh in the 11th game of the World Championship match. There are four phases in the game as we will see.

1.Nf3 [3]…d5 [29]2.c4 [7]

Already a surprise. This sub-variation of Reti opening, permitting the game to be transposed in Reverse Benoni setup, had been played by Gukesh only once before. Once again, as seen in some of the other games of the championship, Gukesh chooses to play a position new to him rather than the positions he is more familiar with.

2…d4 [1:14]3.b4 [7]3…c5 [21]

3…f6! Recommended by five-time world champion and coach of Garry Kasparov Mikhail Botvinnik, is still the most popular move. The game could go on 4.e3 e5 5.c5!?Engines have recently found these good ideas in this. 5…a5 6.Qa4+ with a complicated game.

4.e3! [7]

Gukesh transposes the game in Reverse Blumenfeld Gambit ‘a tempo up’.

4…Nf6 [38:17]

Ding Liren

Gukesh D

Played after a long thought, the move is the best one. Ding was already on his own. It is inadvisable to accept the gambit particularly when a tempo is down. For example,4…dxe3 5.fxe3 cxb4 6.d4 with a powerful position for White.

5.a3!?N [6]

An interesting ‘Theoretical Novelty’, a new move played in just six seconds!

The common moves played here are 5.Bb2 or 5.exd4 or 5.bxc5.

5…Bg4?! [22:13]

The most natural human reaction, after 22 minutes of thinking. With the Pawn advance b2–b4, White trying to eliminate ‘Pc5’, thereby increasing pressure against ‘Pd4’. The engines however recommend a Pawn Sacrifice, 5…Nc6! 6.b5 Na5 7.Bb2 e5!! with a complicated game.

6.exd4 [13]cxd4 [11]7.h3 [5]Bxf3 [5:28]8.Qxf3 [7]Qc7 [17]

Ding Liren

Gukesh D

The first phase is over and White has a significant advantage. However, Gukesh had never played Benoni or Reverse Benoni before and as a result, he lost his way in the second phase. By stabilising the Pawn on ‘b4’ with the support of the Pawn on ‘a3’, White is now ready to launch an offensive. An excellent piece of opening preparation in the Benoni Reverse Defence. The play now is expected to revolve around control of the ‘c5’ square, as per the basic strategy of the Benoni (Reverse) Defence.

9.d3? [5:26]

A serious strategic error, completely missing the point of 5.a2–a3!

The right strategic follow-up would have been 9.c5! a5 10.Bb5+ Nc6 11.0–0! 11…axb4 12.Bb2! with a sharp battle ahead. The readers should try playing this position from both sides in their practice games, to develop the sense &tactical judgement in Benoni opening.

9…a5! [19]10.b5? [25]

A gross fundamental strategic blunder in Benoni. It has been known for over a century that such a move is strategically unplayable. It is clear that Gukesh was not well versed with the strategy of the Benoni, The move is a commonly occurring blunder at lower levels.

10.bxa5 would have been the best choice, though Black is preferable.

10…Nbd7 [3]

Ding Liren

Gukesh D

Played in just three seconds. Ding knew that he was already better. The phase 2 has gone very well for the defending champion.

Here begins the third and the most important phase in the game. Gukesh, in the press interaction after the game, said that at this stage, he realised that he had messed up things. The standard reaction in such a situation is to panic and make things worse. However, Gukesh suddenly comes up with the best Chess played in the match now. Gukesh took more than one hour for the next move and made his plans to fight the danger bravely. This part of the game was conducted in the style of Dr. Emanuel Lasker who is known for his presence of mind, accuracy, alertness and resourcefulness.

11.g3 [1:00:17]Nc5 [9]12.Bg2 [7:25]

Black is better here but Ding overrated his position and hastened to try to win quickly by initiating tactics. However, the attempt boomeranged, since  Gukesh is almost ‘engine-like accurate’ in such positions — positions with wild complications arising from unforced variations.

12…Nfd7?! [6:48]

12…e5 is strategically logical & strong here but Ding tries to play with pieces rather than pawns.

12…e6!? was also strong.

However, the natural 12…Nb3?!, winning ‘an exchange’ could land Black in serious trouble after 13.Qxb7 …Qxb7 14.Bxb7 Ra715.Bc6+ Kd8 16.Bb2 Nxa1 17.Bxa1 e5 18.f4! when White’s ‘Connected Passed Pawns’ on the Q side outweigh Black’s material superiority.

13.0–0 [3:27]

Forced but adequate to hold his own. Black has been offered different ways to win material but they all are very dangerous. The depth of Gukesh’s calculations here is simply exemplary.

13…Ne5!? [3]

Taking the game into wild calculations. Ding plays to trap the White Queen and finds himself outclassed in tactics.

13…e5 was safer.

13…Nb3?! is pointless now as the Bc1 is no longer hanging.

14.Qf4 [4:29]Rd8! [1:46]

14…e6!? is met with 15.Qxd4 offering a Rook. It would be disastrous for Black to take the material. For example,15…Nb3?? 16.Qc3 Nxa1 17.Bf4+– f6 18.Qxa1 g5 19.b6 Qd6 20.Be3 when Black is in a losing position.However, 15…Nexd3 or 15….Ncxd3 are possible.

Similarly 14…Ncxd3 is also possible.  15.Qxd4 e6 is roughly equal.

15.Rd1?! [1:15]

This quickly played move allows Black to get the upper hand.

15.Nd2 would have maintained dynamic equilibrium. For example, 15…Ncxd3 16.Qe4 Nc5 17.b6 Qd6 18.Qb1! with an unclear position.

However, as said before, Ding tries to trap Gukesh’s Queen here, an attempt that boomerangs.

15…g6? [2:35]

[15…e6! would have led to a very dangerous position for White but with adequate resources. 16.Ra2! 16…Be7 etc.

16.a4! [13:01]h5? [8:13]

At this stage, Ding probably felt that he was close to winning. The move is superficial, based on ideas without a sound base of concrete analysis.

Black has prepared for ….Bh6 but White now carries out a forced sequence of tactically brilliant moves.

Ding Liren

Gukesh D

17.b6! [1:29]

Beginning of direct combat.

Ding Liren

Gukesh D

17…Qd6? [12:00]

17…Qb8!? is preferable though after the complex sacrifice 18.Qd2! 18…Nb3 19.Qb2 Nxa1 20.Bf4!, Black’s weakness on the Q side outweighs his material superiority.

18.Ba3! [1]Bh6 [5]19.Bxc5 [42]

This capture, resulting in exchange of a pair of minor pieces, creates an escape square for the White Queen at ‘e4’.

19…Qxc5 [3]20.Qe4 [4]

By eliminating the Black Knight on ‘c5’, White has not only saved his Queen but has also created a powerful post for her at ‘e4’, attacking ‘b7’.

Here starts the fourth phase of the game. Ding must have realised that he had been pushed back to rope and started making mistakes after mistakes while Gukesh continued to find the best moves.

20…Nc6 [54]21.Na3 [59]Rd7? [3:05]

Here Ding started making planless moves without concrete ideas.

21…0–0 would have led to a roughly equal position.

22.Nc2! [43] Taking away the option of ….Nb4 for Black.

Qxb6 [1:09]23.Rab1 [1:44]Qc7 [5]24.Rb5 [1:41]0–0 [4]25.Na1! [1:06]

White has a powerful initiative. It is not easy for any human being to defend this position accurately for a long time, though in a game between two engines, the game could possibly be held.

25…Rb8?! [6:18]

25…Rd6! 26.Nb3 Re6 27.Qh4 b6 28.Bd5 Rf6 was roughly equal.

26.Nb3 [6]e6? [8]

Instead if guarding the real weakness — ‘c6’ –, Ding focuses on guarding ‘b7’, which can’t be defended anyway!

27.Nc5 [1:10]Re7 [1]28.Rdb1 [20]

Black has a tough task ahead. Ding makes the worst blunder in the match here but the position was already extremely difficult.

28…Nb4! was forced, though White seems to be winning after 29.Nxb7 Bf8! 30.Ra1! when the Pawn on ‘a5’ falls soon.

28…Nd8?, however, would have been refuted by 29.Na6!

Ding’s continuation turns out to be the worst.

Ding Liren

Gukesh D

28…Qc8?? [27]

This ‘Club level blunder’ — as it was called by some commentators — loses a piece.

29.Qxc6![15]1–0

Black has lost a piece. The defending champion gave up the battle here.The play in the third & fourth phases not only showed outstanding tactical skills of the challenger but also his courage, alertness, ability to fight back & strength of mind.

Too many mistakes in the game? Yes. Still, it saw the highest quality Chess in White’s superb play during the third and fourth phases.