India’s D Gukesh interacting with his fans in Toronto. (Screengrab)
Winner of the 2024 FIDE Candidates India’s D Gukesh was seen signing autographs, talking to children and answering their questions at a fan meet-up in the Trinity Bellwoods Park in Toronto.
17-year-old Gukesh had edged past a troika of stalwarts: America’s Hikaru Nakamura, and Fabiano Caruana and Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi to become the Candidates winner on Monday.
While Nepomniachtchi is a two-time World Championship contender, World No 2 Caruana was competing in his fifth Candidates event, having won it once. Meanwhile, Nakamura, the World No 3, was competing in his third Candidates event.
🇮🇳 Gukesh D, winner of the 2024 #FIDECandidates, at a fan meetup in Trinity Bellwoods Park, 🇨🇦 Toronto, organised by @ChessbaseIndia!@DGukesh chatted with small kids and answered their questions, signed autographs and happily smiled for selfies! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/XzU7CnPF2A
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) April 24, 2024
Despite their experience, they could not prevent the Candidates debutant Gukesh from breasting the tape first. With one one round to go, Gukesh had raced into the lead while the trio were just half a point behind him.
Gukesh only needed a draw with Nakamura in his final game, provided the other game between Caruana and Nepomniachtchi also drew, If either of the latter had won, they would meet Gukesh in a tiebreaker.
Emil Sutovsky, the CEO at FIDE, the global governing body of chess, on social media after the teenager from Chennai had emerged victorious in the prestigious eight-player event held to handpick the challenger to the world champion revealed that Gukesh will face reigning world champion Ding Liren in the World Chess Championship in November-December this year.
Almost Youngest Grandmaster ever
Gukesh became India’s youngest grandmaster ever at the age of 12 years, seven months, 17 days, missing the tag of the world’s youngest by a mere 17 days.
Last year, he overtook five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand as the country’s top ranked player for the first time after 36 years.
Now, he has added another feat to that impressive list by becoming the youngest ever Candidates winner and will be the youngest World Chess Championship contender when he battles Ding at the World Championship later this year.
