He was the chief architect of the team’s success, but the secret to his impact-making performance lay in his approaching the team contest as an individual event. That’s what Grandmaster D. Gukesh said after returning home from the Chess Olympiad in Budapest on Tuesday.
The Indian men’s and women’s teams, for the first time, clinched gold in the Olympiad.
Gukesh produced a sensational display on the top Board for India as he notched up nine points out of his 10 games, conceding just a couple of draws besides eight victories, which fetched him an individual gold as well.
“In the Olympiad, I took it as an individual event. I just wanted to perform well in this specific tournament. I am very happy with my performance and the team’s performance,” Gukesh told reporters at the Chennai airport.
“The result is proof that we were doing many things right and we were in the right spirit. I am really glad about whatever happened in Budapest.
“We had players in both men’s and women’s teams who had played in quite a few Olympiads and not won it. It was a great regret for them and for me too. I really wanted to win gold this time. It was one of the biggest goals this year. Finally, we did it as a team.
“It was very emotional and the celebrations were just our emotions taking over,” he said.
The 18-year-old’s next big event will be the much-awaited World Championship clash against reigning champion Ding Liren of China in November.
Gukesh had won the Candidates tournament in April to become the youngest challenger to the world title at the age of 17. He turned 18 in May.
Gukesh and Liren will clash in Singapore from November 20 to December 15 for the coveted title and a prize fund of $2.5 million. The Indian is understandably happy
with his form leading up to the big match.
“The form heading into the World Championship, and for now I am quite happy with it... There are still a couple of months left and I will
work harder and be fully ready,” he said.
If Gukesh succeeds in his quest, he will become the first Indian since Viswanathan Anand to claim the title. Anand won the world crown five times.
With inputs from PTI
