Gukesh in different position as world champ because Magnus Carlsen is there: Kasparov

Garry Kasparov praises D Gukesh's world championship win but acknowledges Magnus Carlsen as the superior player.

Russian chess icon Garry Kasparov, whose record of being the youngest world champion was bettered by D Gukesh, feels that the Indian is in a "different situation" compared to him as Norwegian Magnus Carlsen is considered, "by all metrics", a better player than the Chennai teenager.

Gukesh was 17 when he defeated China's reigning world champion Ding Liren in a 14-game showdown to claim the coveted title last year. Kasparov was 22 when he clinched the world crown back in 1985, beating compatriot Anatoly Karpov.

“It’s a phenomenal accomplishment [Gukesh’ world championship win]. But I beat the strongest player in the world. Gukesh is in a different situation because Magnus is there.”

"So yeah Gukesh is official world champion, there is no doubt about it, but there is somebody else who is widely considered, by all metrics, as a better player," Kasparov told the YouTube channel of Saint Louis Chess Club during the Superbet Chess Classic in Bucharest, Romania.

This is not the first time that a comparison has been made between Gukesh and Carlsen, who is the current world number one and pursuing the ambition of a freestyle chess tour, putting him at loggerheads with the world governing body FIDE.

The FIDE has made it clear that it would not allow the tour to have a world championship match as that would remain solely its domain.

Kasparov has been effusive in his praise of India's current crop of chess players, including Gukesh, and described them as "Vishy's children", an ode to his contemporary and five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand.