King Gukesh Brings Home the Crown A Grateful Nation Celebrates the Youngest Ever World Champion

India has made it again. Only the second Indian, and that too, after a gap of 24 years. Vishwanathan Anand won the first of his five in 2000, but he was 30 years old when he made his first kill. In a game where experience perhaps counts just as much as talent – where players are known to get into their peak stride only in the mid-30s, with Gukesh only at 18, it should be easy to imagine he has a long career ahead of him. But then, concentration can flag, one can just give up, saying the pressure is too much. There is never any surety. But for now, looks we have a global competitor in him. With his self-professed yearning to achieve more, especially his desire to contest with Magnus, the magnificent, and try his luck, as it were.

On how after losing the opening game of the match, he could muster courage to fight on, Gukesh has confessed and has been quoted extensively, “Losing the first game here was the toughest challenge. I knew it could happen, but after losing the first game, the way it went, was a bit humiliating. After the game, when I was walking back, a nice moment happened when Vishy Sir was in the lift, and he told me, ‘I had 11 games, and you have 13 games’. That’s the only thing he said, and I realised that it was a nice reminder that I would get my chances.”

Despite becoming the youngest world champion, Gukesh remained humble with an aspiration to achieve more, attain higher goals, and said Magnus Carlsen is still the best, and here again we quote: “My aim is to be in the top level for longest time possible. I have just started my career, and I want to stay on top for a long time. Playing against Magnus in the world championship would be the toughest challenge in chess. It is up to Magnus, but I would love to test myself against the best player in the world.”

Starting early, aspiring under the watchful and caring eyes of his parents, things were not exactly easy for the young champion. Not even 10 years old, he was aspiring to become the world champion; so many do, how many achieve, is the question. That calls for steadiest determination, nurturing talent, and commitment from early years – it can be seen during the course of the world championship, with Team Gukesh being so carefully crafted, dedicated, eager to win. It is this appetite that makes champions out of us, and Gukesh showed just that mettle.

Going into the final of April’s Candidates chess tournament, earlier this year, the sane advice had come from none other than the 5-time champion Magnus Carlsen: “Just don’t do anything crazy. Let your opponents do the crazy things.” Gukesh, then 17, came out the youngest challenger ever; soon, to become the youngest ever world champion in the same year. What a year has this been for him and for Indian chess.

Gukesh had qualified as grandmaster at 12. What does this mean for Indian chess? It will inspire the youth to achieve newer goals. Once can safely bet that as in the case of other sports, like cricket and tennis, this win will bring many more to the chess board. Interestingly enough, there is no recurring cost in playing chess; investments are limited to just a chess board. Playing up the ladder, the circuits, can be costly. And this is where parents come in to help, crowd funding from family and friends. Gukesh’s story was no different. It is indeed a narrative in grit, hard work, ability to withstand high volume pressure – he kept his cool.

Will a new breed of corporates take up sponsorship? Yes, they should ideally, there is advantage in being the first mover. And there is vast pool of talent waiting to be nursed.

Would Gukesh take over the mantle of Captain Cool, from M S Dhoni? And, why not? Gukesh has shown a level of maturity well beyond his 18 years. All the visuals that we have seen, only once he has gAiven way to sharing his joy, with his arms outstretched, much like Yashasvi Jaiswal on every occasion when he has scored his hundred.


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