India’s first world chess champion could barely speak in excitement.
“Historic, mindblowing. I cannot believe it,” Viswanathan Anand told The Telegraph from Chennai minutes after Dommaraju Gukesh became the youngest-ever
world champion beating Ding Liren of China in the World Chess Championship final in Singapore.
Himself a five-time world champion, Anand was 31 when he got his first in December 2000 beating Bulgarian Grandmaster Vaselin Topalov. Gukesh is just 18 and already the ‘King’ of the world. “That’s amazing. He is just 18. At such a young age, Gukesh is a champion. What he has achieved is unbelievable,” Anand said.
Anand said he was pleasantly surprised that the match ended in the 14th round and did not go to Friday’s tie-breaks. “Twenty minutes ago (in the endgame of the 14th round), there was not even an inkling of a chance of a decision today (Thursday). But the blunder by Ding turned the game on its head. And Gukesh seized the opportunity. This is just brilliant,” Anand added.
India’s first Grandmaster, who turned 55 on Wednesday, did not want to give any advice to the new world champion.
The crown will bring accolades, cash bonanza — Gukesh will get $1.3 million (₹11.03 crore approximately) from the $2.5 million prize purse — and the unbridled euphoria and adulation that India tends to give to its heroes. That sometimes can have an adverse impact on a sportsperson.
“Oh, let’s not talk about those things now. Let him enjoy the moment. He has worked hard to realise his dream,” Anand said.
Gukesh’s first coach was Vishnu Prasanna. The new champion was just 10-and-a-half years old when he came to the Chennai-based trainer. Vishnu said the new generation of chess players is so level-headed that nothing can distract them from achieving their goals.
“Anand was superhuman. The new generation is focused. The Internet has also helped the new generation to develop their game. Gukesh is a prime example. He was not even 11 when he came to me and in seven years he has become a world champion,” Vishnu said from Chennai. “It’s a nice feeling that through Gukesh, I am also a little part of the history. I am so excited, I can imagine how Gukesh would be feeling.”
Vishnu, 35, said when he gets to speak to his ward, his advice would be to go for the world No. 1 rank.
“That should be the next target. Gukesh has it in him to be the No. 1 ranked player.”
Gukesh, with an Elo rating of 2776.8, is now world No. 5.
