After becoming world chess champion at just 18, an ecstatic D Gukesh said that his dream of the last 10 years has been finally fulfilled with his win over Ding Liren in game 14 of the World Chess Championship in Singapore.
“I’ve been dreaming about this and living this moment since I was 6 or 7. I have been living this moment for more than 10 years. Every chess player wants to live this moment and to be one of them is…the only way to express is: I’m living my dream,” Gukesh said in the post-match press conference.
For large parts, it seemed game 14 was heading for a draw with the prospects of tiebreaks on Friday but Ding made a shocking blunder in the 55th move, which Gukesh took the full advantage. “When I realised that, it was probably the best moment of my life,” Gukesh said.
The new world champion is also happy that he is the one who got back the title after Viswanathan Anand (five-time champion) lost to Magnus Carlsen in their home town in Chennai.
“When I was watching the match in 2013, looking into the glass box, I thought it’d be so cool to be there one day. When Magnus won, I thought I really wanted to be the one to bring back the title. This dream I had it for 10 years. Doing it for me, my loved ones and my country, there’s nothing better.”
‘Ding has been one the best players in history’
Before talking about his win, Gukesh praised his opponent for putting up a tough fight despite facing many obstacles.
“He has been one of the best players in history for several years. To see how much pressure he had to face and the kind of fight he gave in this match, it shows what a true champion he is.”
Ding, after becoming world champion in 2022, struggled to replicate the form and suffered mentally but showed his best in the World Championship match, taking it all the way to the 14th game.
“In the games where he was completely in a losing position, he kept finding resources. Once I took the lead, he played an amazing game to fight back. After I lost the 12th game, it was a bit disappointing, but I was also getting inspired by my opponent. Any normal human being would have given up [after game 11], but the next day he came and completely destroyed me. He’s a real inspiration for me,” Gukesh said.
“I think I played my best tournament of the year. I could be better, but considering yesterday’s luck, it’s a fair result to lose in the end. I have no regrets,” Ding said after his loss.
Gukesh reveals his team
In the press conference, Gukesh for first time, revealed his full team, which helped him on his quest to clinch the title. It was already known that Grzegorz Gajewski was his main second and had been there with Gukesh for quite some time.
“He (Gajewsk) has been my trainer for the past two years. He’s someone who works tirelessly — so huge thank you to him. I’d also like to mention Paddy [Upton], he has been a huge support for me in the past six months. I’d also like to thank Radosław Wojtaszek, Pentala Harikrishna, Vincent Keymer and Jan-Krzysztof Duda.”
Gukesh also gave credits to his parents, remembering their sacrifice and support throughout his career.
“Whatever words I have are not enough for my parents. Both my parents right from the start, the dream was bigger for them than for me. They are both sports lovers, they did not get the chance to pursue their passion in their youth. When I was born, they decided to support me. They went to such lengths to support me — when I look back at it it’s just crazy. I can’t thank them enough.”
Overcoming the first loss was crucial
Gukesh started as an overwhelming favourite but he suffered a loss in the opening game. Overcoming a big setback in the opening game was extremely important for Gukesh.
“The toughest challenge in the match was losing the first game. I knew it could happen…I was prepared for it. No matter how much you prepare for it — it was humiliating. It was tough. After the game, there was a nice moment with Vishy sir, who was also in the lift. He told me that ‘I had 11 games. You have 13’. It was a nice reminder that it’s just one game and there’s a long way to go. I needed some mental toughness at that moment,” he said.
‘Playing against Magnus in a world championship would be amazing’
Apart from Anand, world no. 1 and five-time champion Carlsen has been a big inspiration for Gukesh. Talking about his future, Gukesh said he wants to achieve the greatness that Magnus did and would love to defend his world championship crown against him.
“Playing against Magnus in a world championship would be amazing. Becoming the world champion doesn’t mean I’ve become the best player in the world. There’s Carlsen. Something that will keep me trying hard is to reach the level of greatness Magnus has achieved,” he said.
