From India’s D Gukesh to ex-Soviet Union GM Anatoly Karpov, youngest world champions in chess historical past

D Gukesh has had fairly the sensational 12 months; he had change into the youngest winner within the historical past of the Candidates Match, profitable it earlier than even turning 18. Later within the 12 months, he could be the standout performer in India’s historic golden sweep on the forty fifth Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary. His
victory over China’s Ding Liren within the 2024 FIDE World Chess Championship in Singapore, nevertheless, pales every thing else that he has completed this 12 months, to the purpose the place it is going to be counted among the many biggest moments in Indian chess historical past.

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Gukesh, in any case, joined an elite membership after defeating Ding in 58 strikes in Recreation 14 of the World Championship. The sport that appeared destined for a stalemate witnessed a dramatic flip of occasions within the final three strikes, the place Gukesh pounced on an enormous blunder dedicated by the Chinese language Grandmaster to win the decisive encounter. Within the course of, {the teenager} from Chennai was topped the 18th chess world champion, profitable the 2024 version with a closing scoreline of seven.5-6.5.

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Gukesh’s teary-eyed celebration after turning into chess world champion

Within the course of, Gukesh turned solely the second Indian to be topped chess world champion after the legendary Viswanathan Anand, who had made historical past together with his victory over Alexei Shirov in 2000 and would go on to win 4 extra occasions. Extra importantly, Gukesh ended up turning into the youngest world champion within the historical past of chess, breaking the report beforehand held by the legendary Garry Kasparov that had stood for almost 40 years.

With Gukesh making historical past in Singapore on the age of 18 years, 8 months and 14 days, we check out the following 4 people within the record of youngest chess world champions:

Garry Kasparov

Russian and former Soviet Union GM Kasparov was the earlier holder of the report for the youngest chess world champion, having achieved the feat on the age of twenty-two years, 6 months and 27 days when he defeated compatriot Anatoly Karpov in Moscow on 9 November, 1985.

Magnus Carlsen

Earlier than Gukesh’s unbelievable feat on Thursday, present world No 1 Carlsen had almost damaged Kasparov’s report greater than a decade in the past throughout his 6.5-3.5 victory over Anand in Chennai in November 2013. The Norwegian GM, who would go on to win the world championship 4 extra occasions together with in a rematch in opposition to Anand the next 12 months, achieved the feat on the age of twenty-two years, 11 months and 24 days – simply 5 months in need of Kasparov’s feat.

Mikhail Tal 

Former Soviet Grandmaster Tal, who would later symbolize Latvia after the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, had reigned as world champion for only a 12 months after defeating fellow Soviet GM Mikhail Botvinnik in 1960, with the latter defeating him the very subsequent 12 months in a rematch. Tal, nevertheless, achieved the feat on the age of 23 years 5 months 28 days – which made him the youngest world champion on the time.

Anatoly Karpov

Whereas Tal’s report would stand for an additional 25 years earlier than being damaged by Kasparov, it had almost been damaged by Karpov 10 years earlier throughout the 1975 World Championship, wherein reigning American GM Bobby Fischer opted to forfeit his title to his Soviet opponent after refusing the play the best-of-24-games format that was the usual again then. In consequence, Karpov turned the champion on the age of 23 years 10 months 11 days, 5 months in need of Tal’s title.