Indian teenager becomes youngest world champion

Stunning Ding Liren blunder allows Gukesh Dommaraju to snare title in the final reel

- Bryan Armen Graham

Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju capped a stunning ascent to the pinnacle of chess by dethroning China's Ding Liren to become the youngest ever world chess champion in Singapore.

The 18-year-old from Chennai snatched the decisive victory in the final game of their best-of-14-games showdown, which appeared bound for a draw until a stunning blunder by Ding in the final reel.

The 32-year-old champion resigned moments later after a game that lasted just over four hours.

Gukesh said he did not initially recognise Ding's slip-up and it took a few seconds to realise that his opponent's bishop was trapped.

"When I realised it, it was probably the best moment of my life," he said.

Ding, playing with the white pieces, was better out of the opening but Gukesh was able to unlock his pieces and stabilise in the middlegame.

The draw appeared inevitable when material starting coming off the board in bunches starting with move 19.