Young Chess Prodigy D Gukesh, the Rockstar!

Dommaraju Gukesh,born 29th May’06 in Thrissur, Kerala, India is popularly known in chess world as Gukesh D. This Indian chess grandmaster is the third-youngest person in history to qualify for the FIDE Grandmaster title in 2019. Have a unique distinction of becoming the youngest player at the age of 16 to defeat then-world champion Magnus Carlsen on 16 October 2022 at the Aimchess Rapid Tournament.

D Gukesh’s interest in chess began at the age of seven when he started playing the game with his father. His breakthrough came in 2018 when he became the second youngest chess Grandmaster in history at the age of 12 years, 7 months, and 17 days. Such remarkable achievement established him getting significant attention as a prodigy in the chess world.

Since then, Gukesh has participated in numerous national and international chess tournaments, consistently showcasing his skills & achieving impressive results. He has competed in events such as the World Youth Chess Championships and the Tata Steel Chess Tournament, among others.

In 2019, Gukesh won the World Under-12 Chess Championship held in Weifang, China, with an astounding score of 10.5/11 points. This victory further solidified his position as one of the brightest young talents in chess.

D Gukesh continues to compete at a high level, participating in various tournaments around the world. His playing style is characterized by a deep understanding of positional chess & an ability to calculate complex variations accurately. He has shown a strong work ethic and dedication to improving his game.

Gukesh’s style of play is versatile and balanced. He has a solid foundation in positional chess and demonstrates a good understanding of strategic concepts. Gukesh is known for his ability to find strong moves in quiet positions and exploit small advantages over time.

In terms of openings, Gukesh has shown a preference for a wide range of openings, including 1.e4, 1.d4, and 1.c4. He is known to be well-prepared and has a diverse repertoire, adapting to his opponents’ style and preferences.

Outside of chess, D Gukesh enjoys reading books and playing table tennis. He is also passionate about mathematics and science. Despite his young age, he has already made significant contributions to the world of chess and has the potential to achieve even greater success in the future.

A few remarkable stepping stones in the life of D Gukesh:

World Under-12 Chess Championship (2019): Gukesh won this prestigious tournament held in Weifang, China, with a remarkable score of 10.5/11 points. This victory established him as a rising star in the chess world.

Chennai Open International Grandmaster Chess Tournament (2019): Gukesh triumphed in this strong international tournament held in Chennai, India. He secured the title of Grandmaster norm and achieved a notable rating performance.

Sunway Sitges International Chess Festival (2019): Gukesh emerged as the champion in the Challengers section of this tournament held in Sitges, Spain. This success showcased his ability to compete against strong players in an international setting.

Cannes Open (2019): Gukesh achieved another impressive victory in this tournament held in Cannes, France. He secured the title with a remarkable performance against tough competition.

Success does test you and your passion, D Gukesh also faced some great challenges in his life.

Tata Steel Chess Tournament (2020): In 2020, Gukesh participated in the Tata Steel Chess Tournament, one of the most prestigious events in the chess world. Unfortunately, he faced a challenging tournament and struggled to find his form, resulting in a lower-than-expected performance.

FIDE Chess.com Grand Swiss (2021): Gukesh competed in the FIDE Chess.com Grand Swiss tournament held in the Isle of Man in 2021. It was a highly competitive tournament featuring some of the world’s top players. Despite his best efforts, Gukesh faced tough opposition and couldn’t achieve the desired results.

Recently in Apr’23, this teenaged Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh stunned former world rapid champion Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan in finals to win the World Chess Armageddon Asia & Oceania event.

Gukesh participated in the first edition of the WR Masters tournament in Düsseldorf in Feb’23, tying for first place with Levon Aronian and Ian Nepomniachtchi.

Gukesh became the youngest player to beat Magnus Carlsen since becoming World Champion, in the Aimchess Rapid tournament (Oct’22).
23 July 2023, D Gukesh crossed world champion Magnus Carlsen’s feat of youngest to reach Elo 2750.

03 August 2023, D. Gukesh, India’s 17 year old chess Grandmaster surpassed five-time World champion Viswanathan Anand to become the highest-ranked Indian in the live chess ratings, the record which was held by Vishy Anand for 37 years.