Dommaraju Gukesh is an Indian chess player who will face the Chinese chess giant Ding Liren, the current world champion. The battle is expected to be an intriguing mix of style, experience, and momentum. Here’s the summary why many experts believe he will be the next world champion.
1. Exceptional Early Career and Rapid Progression
Gukesh has been recording consecutive records in chess since young age. He is currently the third youngest player to cross 2700 Elo in history and knocked India’s legendary Viswanathan Anand to the top to become India’s number one rated player for 2023.
All that rise with outstanding performances in several tournaments, all the way to the top prize of gold at Chess Olympiad 2022, make him record his skills and resilience. Gukesh’s recent victory at the 2024 Candidates Tournament is only another peg in the establishment of him as one of the brightest potentials for the world title.
2. Youthly Energies and Mental Readiness
At 18, Gukesh brings a refreshing aroma and maximum energy levels to the board; he is far from comparable to Ding, who is reported to be in short supply of motivation after realizing his lifelong goal of becoming a world champion.
Gukesh has vowed to mindfulness practice through meditation and other forms of it so that he can handle the psychological pressures that top-level competition brings. This attention to mental health may help him break free during a world championship match, when it might take almost everything to maintain his calm.
3 Aggressive and adaptable playing style
The playing style of Gukesh is a mix of being aggressive with deep strategic understanding; the best-prepared opponents may have underestimated how such an approach can change the game from cautious to aggressive maneuvers.
This could be what will be important against Ding, whose game is extremely calculated and strategic. Possibilities to surprise opponents with considerable experience makes him a dangerous challenger who can quickly capitalize on small mistakes or momentum shifts.
4. Recent Battles for Motivation by Ding Liren
Ding Liren’s quest to the title has been marked by fierce competition and enthusiasm. However, following his victory and induction as champion, Ding has made public some of the emotional problems and motivational dilemmas he suffers.
Analysts have attributed some of Ding’s failure to regain top performance because of lack of focus by clear-cut new goals. The shift in Ding’s attitude can carry a significant consequence on the defenses he wants to make in maintaining the title.
5. Head-to-Head and Learning Curve
In their head-to-head encounters, Gukesh is at a disadvantageous record against Ding as he lost two of their respective classical encounters, while the remaining draws have ended in draws. Yet, he has also shown himself capable of rapid learning and improvement.
In fact, in 2024, he even took one win from Ding in another game of Fischer Random, though in another format. Gukesh’s increasing improvement as well as his relentless quest for excellence signify that he may just bridge the skill gap and upset Ding in the present match.
6. New Indian Era for Chess: The victory of Gukesh would open a new era to Indian chess, promising to kindle more enthusiasm towards the game in the country and inspiring the young and the brilliant minds all over.
His victory would remind everybody how well his mentor had performed-Great Viswanathan Anand-and how even in his case, India became one of the best chess-playing nations.
Overall, Gukesh, his youth, the change in skill set, and motivation to win his first world title have him working with so much more.
Ding’s recent mental insecurities and fulfilled aspirations make him prone to Gukesh’s aggressive and determined approach. All these elements can easily go in the direction of Gukesh, making it a true candidate for the next chess world champion.
Sources: Chess.com【7】, ChessBase【8】, Chess.com Blogs【9】
“reasons why Gukesh will be next world chess champion defeating Ding Liren”
Summit School of Chess — Ding Liren vs D. Gukesh: A Clash of Chess Titans – Summit School of Chess
Chessdom — World Chess Championship 2024 – Gukesh vs Ding Liren – Chessdom
ChessBase — Gukesh: From a school in Chennai to the world title match in Singapore | ChessBase
Author
Justice Markandey Katju
