In a remarkable achievement, 17-year old Indian chess grandmaster D Gukesh has earned the opportunity to challenge reigning world champion Ding Liren next year, after winning the prestigious Candidates tournament in Toronto. By drawing his final round game against American GM Hikaru Nakamura, Gukesh was able to secure first place on the overall standings and claim the title of Candidates winner.
This victory allows Gukesh to qualify for the next World Chess Championship match, making him the second youngest player in history to compete in the Candidates. Despite his young age and relative lack of experience on the global stage, Gukesh was able to navigate through a field of the world's top candidates and emerge as the tournament leader.
The chess community was quick to praise Gukesh's tremendous accomplishment. Indian legend Viswanathan Anand took to social media to congratulate Gukesh and express how proud he was of the youngster's composed and resolute performance under pressure. Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik also commended Gukesh along with other top performers for battling until the very end. Several grandmasters, including Tania Sachdev and Hans Niemann, called attention to how Gukesh's victory signifies the arrival of a new era, with the future of the game now in the hands of its youngest stars.
