By Prakhar Sachdeo
CNBC-TV18.com
Published April 22, 2024
Image: Michal Walusza
Image: Eldar Azimov
India's 17-year-old Grandmaster D Gukesh scripted history by winning 2024 Candidates Chess Tournament to become the youngest ever challenger to the world title.
Image: Reuters
Gukesh bettered record created by Garry Kasparov 40 years ago. The Russian great was 22 when he qualified in 1984 to clash with compatriot Anatoly Karpov.
Image: Reuters
The triumph entitles Gukesh a clash against reigning world champion Ding Liren of China in the last quarter of the year.
Image: Reuters
The only other Indian who has won the Candidates tournament is Viswanathan Anand. Anand won the tournament in 1994.
Image: Michal Walusza
Gukesh is the third-youngest Grandmaster, the third-youngest to reach a chess rating of 2700, the youngest to reach a rating of 2750.
Image: Michal Walusza / FIDE
In the September 2023, Gukesh surpassed Viswanathan Anand as the top-ranked Indian player, marking the first time in 37 years that Anand was not the top-ranked Indian player
Image: Michal Walusza / FIDE
In 2023 Gukesh was adjudged the Player of the Year by Asian Chess Federation. Gukesh is currently ranked 16 in the world and his FIDE rating as of April 2024 is 2743.