FIDE Candidates chess tournament winner Gukesh all set for World Championship

FIDE Candidates chess tournament winner Gukesh all set for World Championship against Ding Liren of China

The frenzy at Chennai International airport early morning on April 25 for the arrival of the 17-year-old D. Gukesh, who had won the FIDE Candidates chess tournament in Toronto, was surreal. 

A huge gathering—media persons, students wearing masks of the teenager and teachers from the champion’s alma mater, Velammal, chess officials and members of Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu--jostled with the teenager to get a glimpse of the boy of the moment.

Amidst all the hullabaloo, Gukesh remained calm and composed showing no signs of travel weariness - he spent nearly 18 hours on the flight from Toronto to Chennai with a transit in Dubai. 

On facing his opponent at the World championship, Ding Liren of China, Gukesh said he is ready for the battle with the World No. 1 Chinese. “Naturally, I didn’t get much time to think and discuss it. Yeah, we have played a few rapid games and some classical. Obviously, he’s a very strong player, quite universal. He’s been at the top for a long time. It will surely be exciting to play. But I think I’m ready for the challenge,” he told The Hindu soon after his arrival. 

Gukesh said he has no special preference for the venue of the World championship scheduled in November-December. “I’m fine with playing anywhere. Obviously, it’ll be nice to play at home (Chennai). Wherever I play, the goal is to be focused and win the match.”

With hardly six months to prepare for the big event, Gukesh has no time to rest on his laurels. The youngster seems to have already planned his next set of moves. “There are already some tournaments I’ve decided to play. Mainly the Grand Chess Tour, which is a tour of five events. I’ll be in Warsaw, Poland in a couple of weeks,” he said.

Certainly, it was not an easy tournament for the Chennai lad with world’s top players including Fabio Caruana, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Hikaru Nakamura being the favourites to win the grueling tournament. After six draws, Gukesh suffered his first defeat at the hands of Iran’s Alireza Firouja in the seventh round. The loss to the 20-year-old World No.6, in fact spurred him to do better, which showed the mental fortitude of Gukesh.