D Gukesh, the 18-year-old chess prodigy from India, made history last Thursday by defeating Chinese GM Ding Liren in Game 14 of the World Chess Championship. With this victory, Gukesh became the youngest world champion in chess history and the second Indian to claim the coveted title, following in the footsteps of the legendary Viswanathan Anand.
Despite the monumental achievement, Gukesh’s ambitions extend far beyond the world champion title. His ultimate goal? To cement his place as the greatest chess player of all time. In his pursuit of this aspiration, Gukesh has expressed a desire to challenge the widely regarded GOAT of chess, Magnus Carlsen.
Carlsen, a five-time World Champion, is known for his dominance in the sport. However, the Norwegian chess maestro stepped away from defending his FIDE World Championship title in 2022, citing a lack of motivation for the classical format.
Speaking to FIDE after his victory, Gukesh acknowledged Carlsen’s unparalleled stature in the chess world. “He’s clearly the best and probably the greatest of all time,” Gukesh said. “Personally, as a chess fan and someone who wants to improve, I would love it if Magnus decides to come back. It would be the biggest challenge I can possibly face.”
Carlsen, however, has reiterated his disinterest in returning to the World Championship, recently stating, “I am not part of this circus anymore.”
While Carlsen’s return to the championship remains uncertain, Gukesh remains undeterred. He sees defeating Carlsen as the ultimate benchmark of greatness. “To be the best, you have to beat the best,” he remarked.
Reflecting on his journey, Gukesh shared his motivation: “As a kid, I wanted to become a world champion because I thought that meant I was the best player in the world. Now, it’s still a huge achievement, but my main goal has always been to achieve my full potential. If that’s enough to become the greatest of all time, then sure.”
The young champion also expressed his admiration for other top players, including Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, and Ian Nepomniachtchi, citing them as sources of inspiration to keep pushing his limits.
For now, Gukesh’s reign as World Chess Champion marks a new chapter in the sport, with the promise of even greater feats ahead. With his unrelenting hunger for improvement, he is poised to leave an indelible mark on chess history.
