Last August, Gukesh D. overtook Viswanathan Anand to become the highest-rated Indian chess player. It was a bittersweet moment for Anand; on the one hand, his 37-year reign had ended, but on the other, it was one of his proteges who had dislodged him.
On April 21, Gukesh went one step further. He won the candidates tournament, the youngest to do so at 17, and will now face champion Ding Liren of China later in the year. "This is the greatest accomplishment by any of the current crop of Indian talents," Anand told THE WEEK in an interview where he spoke about the feat, Gukesh's chances against the champion and what sets him apart. Excerpts:
Q/ Having worked with Gukesh, how satisfied are you personally with this feat?
A/ There is not much room for interpretation. This is a historic record. [He is the] youngest ever candidate, which gives him the possibility to be the youngest world champion. I feel very, very happy that we have been working together for four years with WACA (WestBridge Anand Chess Academy), and that it has happened so fast, that he has exploded in strength.
Q/ How would you sum up Gukesh's campaign in the candidates?
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