The Chennai candidate

Patience and calmness are the hallmarks of Gukesh's game

- LAKSHMI SUBRAMANIAN

In 2013, a seven-year-old walked into a tournament hall in Chennai and stood in awe as he saw Viswanathan Anand take on Magnus Carlsen. Eleven years later, not only has Gukesh D. beaten Carlsen and overtaken Anand in the ratings, he has become the youngest to win the FIDE candidates tournament. The Chennai boy will now challenge champion Ding Liren later in the year.

"Gukesh's accomplishment has smashed all records," Pravin Thipsay, India's third grandmaster, told THE WEEK. His campaign was steady; he went up against more fancied opponents like the Americans Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura, the Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi and also against fellow Indians Vidit Gujrathi and Praggnanandhaa. He finished with five wins in the 14 rounds, and his only loss came against the Iranian-French Alireza Firouzja in the seventh round. He went into his final game at the top of the leader board, and drew the match against Nakamura. He ultimately won after the match between Nepomniachtchi and Caruana ended in a draw, which meant neither of them could equal Gukesh's score of nine points.