Gukesh up against unpredictable Liren

The weight of expectations sits lightly on his teenaged shoulders and Grandmaster D Gukesh would bank heavily on his calm mind when he takes on Chinese Ding Liren in the World Championship showdown beginning here on Monday, aiming to become the first Indian after Viswanathan Anand to win the coveted title.

The majority of the chess world is rooting for the 18-year-old in-form Indian, who already displays the poise of a champion. What remains to be seen is how he handles the pressure of the big occasion during the fortnight-long showpiece.

If the first press conference held on Saturday afternoon was any indication, both players have immense respect for each other and yet, both are determined to give their best.

Liren had won a match of fluctuating fortunes against Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia in 2023 to be crowned the world champion but since then, the Chinese has suffered from mental health issues and competed very less compared to Gukesh in the last one year.

“My job is pretty clear — just go into every game as the best version of myself and play the best moves in the position. If I do that, if I keep playing good chess and stay in the right spirits, even with his recent form dip or even at his best, I don’t think it really matters,” Gukesh said. “If I do the right things, I’m confident I have all the chances in the world,” he asserted.

This year’s tournament marks the first time in 138 years that two Asian players will be pitted against each other in the marquee clash, that is offering a prize fund of $2.5 million.

A year ago, no one could have predicted a likely clash between Gukesh and Liren as the latter was already the defending champion and the Indian had big hurdles to cross. “I won’t say I am super calm. I know this is a big event, and I am super excited. But I also know I can handle any nerves. As long as I am confident in my skills, I don’t have anything to worry about,” Gukesh said ahead of the big event.