After 14 gruelling rounds, here’s how 17-year-old D Gukesh went on to become the youngest Candidates winner of all time on Monday.
After 14 gruelling rounds, India’s D Gukesh emerged as the Candidate for the World Championship match. It was a journey filled with ups and downs, a couple of assists along the way from his fellow countrymen, and a turning point that could have actually been a morale-crushing moment. Here’s how Gukesh went on to become the youngest Candidates winner of all time:
R1: Gukesh D ½-½ Vidit Santosh Gujrathi
With FIDE pairing up compatriots in the early rounds to avoid any possibilities of a collusion, Gukesh began his tournament with a 21-move draw against Vidit Gujrathi. It was a day when 7 out of the 8 matches ended in a draw. The calm before the storm.
R2: Praggnanandhaa R 0-1 Gukesh D
It was another all-India clash for Gukesh next and this time he forced Pragg to resign after 33 moves. And in hindsight, a significant result elsewhere as Vidit Gujrathi, playing with black pieces, ended Nakamura’s 47-game unbeaten streak.
R3: Gukesh D ½-½ Ian Nepomniachtchi
The first major test for Gukesh as he took on two-time World Championships challenger, and held him to a 40-move draw. The result meant Gukesh stayed at the top with Nepo and Caruana.
R4: Fabiano Caruana ½-½ Gukesh D
Going up against the highest-rated player at the event, Gukesh showed he can last the distance in a 73-move draw. The experienced Caruana demonstrated creative defense but Gukesh, battling with black pieces, showed precise game control that was a decisive factor in his title challenge. Nepo went into sole lead but Gukesh stayed in touch.
R5: Gukesh D 1-0 Nijat Abasov
A marathon effort! Gukesh defeated Nijat Abasov in a queen endgame, after almost six hours and 87 moves. With Pragg holding Nepo for a draw, Gukesh was back in a joint lead. After the win he was asked who he was most afraid of playing. He took a second to compose his response. “No one,” he said before breaking into a rare smile.
R6: Gukesh D ½-½ Hikaru Nakamura
A preview to the finale, a harbinger of things to come in Round 14 perhaps. Gukesh held Nakamura in 40 moves, while Nepo and Caruana played out a draw earlier. But under completely different circumstances of course, as none of the four had to force a win at this point. Gukesh and Nepo stayed at the top.
R7: Alireza Firouzja 1-0 Gukesh D
The turning point, according to Gukesh. It is remarkable how a 17-year-old dealt with a crushing moment. In a match he was up a pawn and pressing his opponent, he miscalculated under time pressure. He had his head in hands at the end but quickly recouped composure to shake hands after a heartbreak. “If I had to pinpoint when I really felt this could be my moment was probably after I lost to Firouzja. I was actually quite upset but during the rest day I already felt so good. Even though I just had a painful loss, I was feeling at my absolute best. I don’t know, maybe that loss gave me so much motivation,” Gukesh said on Sunday.
R8: Vidit Santosh Gujrathi 0-1 Gukesh D
Gukesh bounced back quickly to retake joint lead. A surprisingly comfortable win for Gukesh in black in 38 moves against Vidit, and a shock draw for Nepo against bottom-of-the-table Abasov.
R9: Gukesh D ½-½ Praggnanandhaa R
While Nepo managed to pull off a jailbreak against Firouzja for a draw, it was a solid outing for Gukesh as he and his fellow Chennai teen played out a stalemate too in 40 moves. The headliner for this round was a second win for Vidit against Nakamura which, once again in hindsight, was a critical piece of assist for Gukesh.
R10: Ian Nepomniachtchi ½-½ Gukesh D
At this point, it was a must-not-lose contest for both Gukesh and Nepo at the top of the standings and they stayed together after playing a 40-move draw. “I was Black, and he played a solid game, so it was a fair result. I am in good shape and hopefully it can continue in the last [few] games,” the Indian had said.
R11: Gukesh D ½-½ Fabiano Caruana
It felt like the day the Open section made a decisive turn as, into the business end of the tournament, Nepo took the sole lead after beating Vidit in a marathon match. Gukesh’s 40-move draw against Caruana was a solid result but with little time left, Nepo – with all his experience – seemed favourite.
R12: Nijat Abasov 0-1 Gukesh D
And then Round 12 happened. A series of results set up a stunning finale, with Pragg holding Nepo as the only drawn match. It was a critical performance too, with Nepo perhaps playing this a little too safe. Playing with black and needing to force a win, a brave Gukesh handed Abasov his first defeat with white. It took a surprise opening, a well-thought-out series of first 14 moves, and a solid end-game, as he displayed maturity that belied his age. Suddenly, three men were level at the top and Caruana was at their heels. A blockbuster finish.
R13: Gukesh D 1-0 Alireza Firouzja
With Nakamura and Nepo ending in a draw, the ball was in Gukesh’s court and he pressed for a superb win against Firouzja despite a sluggish start, punishing an over-optimistic Frenchman. It was redemption for the Round 7 defeat and with one game to go the Indian was in the sole lead. “It’s like some sort of a movie,” Caruana – who beat Pragg to put himself joint-second – said. Indeed, a thrilling climax with Gukesh having destiny in his own hands.
R14: Hikaru Nakamura ½-½ Gukesh D
Four title contenders, all facing off against each other. With an extremely solid game, Gukesh was in complete control against Nakamura in a match the American had to win but couldn’t force his way despite playing white. All eyes were on the crazy Caruana-Nepo game where the former was on the brink of a win. Gukesh seemed destined for a tiebreak with the American who blundered in move 41 and Nepo managed to play out a draw in a result that favoured neither of them. Gukesh, who had been stoic all through, said he was very emotional following the other game. He gave up and went on a walk when his father came and delivered the news. The rest is history.
– With inputs from Amit Kamath
