India’s Young Chess Prodigy Gukesh Scores Major Victory in World Chess Championship, Leads Ding Liren 6-5

India’s Young Chess Prodigy Gukesh Scores Major Victory in World Chess Championship, Leads Ding Liren 6-5

Indian chess sensation Gukesh D Dommaraju has secured a significant victory against Chinese Grandmaster Ding Liren, taking a 6-5 lead in the World Chess Championship. This win provides Gukesh with a psychological edge as he moves closer to the final stages of the championship, with three games still remaining.

On Sunday, playing with the white pieces, Gukesh capitalized on a time-pressure error by Ding Liren, clinching the game and breaking a streak of seven consecutive draws. Speaking about the victory, Gukesh said, “This is definitely a very important win,” but added, “There are still three critical games left to play.”

Ding Liren, 32, admitted the difficulty of the match, saying, “It was a very tough game for me. But I will try to come back on Monday when I’ll start with the white pieces.”

From the beginning of the second game, both players were cautious, making just five moves in the first hour. The tension escalated by the 11th move after Gukesh took considerable time to strategize, putting Ding under pressure as he was left with only 10 minutes on his clock.

Gukesh’s victory sent his supporters into a frenzy at Singapore's Resorts World Sentosa Hotel, where they cheered his name in celebration. Grateful for the support, Gukesh remarked, “Indian fans are the best. I am truly thankful for their support... It gives me extra energy.”

If the 14-game series ends in a tie, the match will proceed to a tiebreaker scheduled for December 13. At just 18 years old, Gukesh is the youngest player to compete in the World Chess Championship. He is on a mission to surpass Garry Kasparov and become the youngest undisputed World Chess Champion in history.