The prince who could be king
Indian Grandmaster Gukesh D is gearing up for a real shot at the world title as he takes on reigning champion Ding Liren of China in the World Chess Championship, starting November 25 in Singapore. The players will lock horns in 14 classical games followed by tiebreaks. FIDE, the governing body of chess, promises faster and result-oriented games with new rules.
The young prodigy, just 18 years old, stands on the cusp of making history as the youngest player ever to compete for the world title, a record previously held by Magnus Carlsen, who won the title at 22.
Mentored by Viswanathan Anand, Gukesh’s recent form and mindset have made him the favourite to win the match. In a recent press conference, Gukesh exuded confidence, stating, “I’m really looking forward to the title match.” He made the right kind of statements showing his calmness. “I don’t believe in predictions and favourites. I am focussed on the process and to enjoy the game,” he said.
None other than five-time world champion Carlsen points out Gukesh’s calmness as his strongest weapon. He described Gukesh as a “mystery”, noting his incredible calculation abilities. “He has no nerves and superbly calm. He calculates non-stop. Many a times, he amazes me by what all he saw on the board,” Carlsen said in a recent interview. He added a warning note, “Perhaps Gukesh is unaware what it means to be contesting for the world title.”
Gukesh’s confidence is backed by his outstanding performance at the Chess Olympiad, where he scored 9/10, leading India to the gold medal. His current rating of 2783 places him fifth in the world, a testament to his exceptional skills and rapid rise in the chess world.
In contrast, Ding, who admitted in a recent interview that he feels like the underdog going into this match, has had a challenging year. “Clearly, I will be the underdog approaching this match. I hope I can become a totally different player and at least give him a fight to slow down his pace... to have some winning chances,” said Ding.
He has been on a winless streak in his last 28 classical games, with seven losses and 21 draws, which has seen his rating drop below 2730, now ranking him 23rd in the world — the lowest for a reigning champion. Carlsen has expressed doubts about Ding’s current form, stating that he may be “permanently broken” by his bad form.
Despite the recent struggles, Ding can draw inspiration from his 2-0 score against Gukesh in classical chess, with one draw. Additionally, Ding once had a 100-match undefeated streak in classical chess from August 2017 to November 2018, which included 29 victories and 71 draws.
The battle between Gukesh and Ding is also seen as a generational showdown between Gukesh’s youthful energy and innovative style and Ding’s experience and strategic depth. Both players believe more in the Queen’s Pawn openings with d4 and variants instead of the aggressive King’s Pawn openings with e4 and variants. The Queen’s Pawn openings lead more towards positional play.
Gukesh’s journey began at the age of seven when he watched the epic world title match between Anand and Carlsen in Chennai. Inspired by that encounter, he embarked on his chess journey, becoming a Grandmaster by 12 and the youngest-ever winner of the Candidates tournament at 17.
Experts predict the contest would be between Gukesh’s youthful dynamism versus Ding’s seasoned strategy. Arjun Erigaisi, Gukesh’s teammate, is rooting for his deep analytical skills and precision. On the other hand, Grandmaster and commentator Levon Aronian highlights Ding’s difficult-to-break-down game, supported by his strategic acumen and experience.
Gukesh’s victory will be a statement on India’s rising influence in chess. The world title owned by Anand was lost in 2013 when Carlsen won the crown. Can Gukesh bring it back?
Openings & Defence
Gukesh D
White: Reti Opening, King’s
Indian Attack, Queen’s Gambit Declined
Black: Sicilian Nimzowich-Rossolimo Attack, Sicilian Defence, Queen’s Gambit Declined
Ding Liren
White: Kings Indian Defence, Queen’s Gambit, English Opening and Catalan Closed variation
Black: King’s Pawn Game, Ruy Lopez, French Defence, Queen’s Gambit Declined
New rules
The prize fund is $2.5 million, with a new incentive structure. Each player receives $200,000 for every game they win. Previously, there was no bonus for the number of wins. The match winner received 60% of the prize fund. The runner-up received 40%, unless the contest was
decided by tiebreaks.
In the classical games, players will have two hours for 40 moves and then 30 minutes for the rest of the game with a 30-second increment starting from move 41. Earlier, players would receive an additional 60 minutes at move 40 and 15 minutes at move 60, with an increment from move 61. The tiebreak games will start with 15-minute rapid games with a 10-second increment (instead of the previous 25-minute with a 10-second increment). If needed, tiebreaks will progress to shorter rapid games and then to blitz.
