Chennai teen sensation D Gukesh created history on Sunday, becoming the youngest-ever Candidates winner in Toronto. He also became the youngest World Championship challenger, and only the second Indian to win the Candidates after legend Viswanathan Anand.
His victory stunned everyone as he wasn’t the favourite prior to the tournament, with Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura initially carrying bragging rights. But the youngster showcased grit and determination to finish the tournament on top of the standings.
After his win, Gukesh received a special congratulatory message from none other than Anand. Gukesh is also part of WACA, which is Anand’s chess academy.
“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”, Anand wrote.
In the final standings in Toronto, Gukesh claimed pole position, followed by Nakamura in second-place and Ian Nepomniachtchi in third. Meanwhile, Caruana came fourth, with R PRaggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi in fifth and sixth respectively. Alireza Firouzja occupied seventh place and Nijat Abasov came eighth.
Speaking after his win, Gukesh told ANI, “My next goal is to make it big at the World Championship. I am just planning to do my absolute best and try to do the right things. And be at the ideal shape required to play good chess. And I hope things will go my way.”
On challenging Ding Liren, he said, “I haven’t really thought about the preparations yet; I did not get much time to. I will soon start thinking about the match. I try to do as well as I can and give my absolute best everywhere possible. I am really eager to start preparing for the final. Going there and giving my best.”
Meanwhile, he also hailed the increase in popularity of chess in India. “Chess in India is growing and it’s a great time for chess in the country. We are all doing well and this was really a huge achievement winning the Candidates. I hope this brings more people to the game,” he added.
FIDE Candidates – Gukesh, Tan Zhongyi World Championship Challengers
The 2024 FIDE Candidates has concluded. Gukesh and Tan Zhongyi are the Challengers for the World Championship. 17-year-old Indian prodigy Gukesh is the youngest World Chess Championship Challenger in history. He will face World Champion Ding Liren in the match at the end of this year, while Tan Zhongyi will play with her compatriot Ju Wenjun in the Women’s Championship matchup.
With four players vying for the top spot heading into the final round, the exciting climax made the 2024 edition of the FIDE Candidates Tournament one of the most suspense-filled Candidates tournaments in history.
Gukesh D needed not to lose against Hikaru Nakamura with the black pieces to secure at least joint first, and he rose to the challenge admirably.
Gukesh caught Hikaru Nakamura off-guard in the opening, swiftly achieving an equal position. Magnus Carlsen, the world’s top-rated chess player, provided live commentary on one of the streams and praised Gukesh’s 11…b4 move: “I love what Gukesh has done. It’s something I haven’t seen before.” By the 20th move, Gukesh had gained a pawn, but the position in the game was drawish. Nakamura never really risked losing, and both players logically drew the game.
The tournament’s destiny was in the matchup between Fabiano Caruana and Ian Nepomniachtchi, who were both in a must-win situation. If either side won, they would have joined Gukesh in the lead and played a tiebreak for first place on the following day.
This nerve-wracking game had every chess fan feeling a rollercoaster of emotions. Caruana and Nepomniachtchi quickly navigated into a complex position where victory, defeat, or a draw were all plausible outcomes. However, after much drama, the game ended in a tie, confirming Gukesh’s historic win.
At the tournament’s conclusion, Gukesh commented joyfully, “I am so relieved and so happy. Following this crazy game [Caruana-Nepomniachtchi], I was completely emotional. Now I am feeling quite good.”
From the players tied for second place, the Sonneborn-Berger tiebreak puts Nakamura in second place and Nepomniachtchi in third, with Caruana finishing fourth.
There was no such drama on the women’s half of the tournament with China’s Tan Zhongyi, the leader of the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament, needing merely a draw to secure her triumph. Facing Anna Muzychuk with the black pieces, Tan obtained a solid advantage, but sadly, did not manage to convert it to a full point. The game ended in a draw, which was a fine result for Tan, who claimed the overall victory and became the next Challenger for the Women’s World Championship title.
The runner-up going into the last round, Lei Tingjie, was playing with White against Humpy Koneru. Lei entered a sharp and complex position, with White being a pawn down but with enough compensation in piece activity. On move 23, Lei played one of the most beautiful moves of the whole tournament.
Final Standings:
Open:
1. Gukesh – 9
2. Nakamura – 8½
3. Nepomniachtchi – 8½
4. Caruana – 8½
5. Praggnanandhaa R – 7
6. Vidit Gujrathi – 6
7. Firouzja – 5
8. Abasov – 3½
Women’s:
1. Tan – 9
2. Koneru Humpy – 7½
3. Lei – 7½
4. Vaishali R – 7½
5. Goryachkina – 7
7. Salimova – 5½
8. A. Muzychuk – 5½
