D Gukesh completes one year as World Champion; relive final moments of his historic victory

Exactly one year ago, on December 12, 2024, D Gukesh defeated the then incumbent Ding Liren to become the youngest ever undisputed World Champion in chess history at just 18 years of age. He became only the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand to get to the pinnacle of classical chess.

It was a watershed moment in chess history that established India as the next powerhouse of the sport. Gukesh became a star in the country and also soon became the youngest ever recipient of the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna — India's highest sporting honour.

Gukesh had been seen as a prodigy whose chance to shine would come, but very few thought it would come as soon as it eventually did. At just 18, Gukesh rewrote history books but the journey wasn't as easy.

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An unlikely Candidates winner

D Gukesh has become a national icon since his World Championship victory. AFP

Gukesh had entered the 2023 Candidates with the highest place in 2023 FIDE Circuit but he was never seen as the favourite to win the tournament.

With Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana and Ian Nepomniachtchi in fray, Gukesh's chances were slim. In fact, he was not the favourites even among Indians. R Praggnanandhaa's run to the World Cup final before the Candidates had established him as the Indian to watch out for.

But by the end of the tournament, Gukesh emerged as the youngest ever Candidates winner. He was set to challenge Ding and with the Chinese Grandmaster not at his best, anything could happen there.

Ding gives Gukesh run for his money

It was even-stevens going into the World Championship clash in Singapore. Gukesh had form on his side but Ding had experience and in the very first game, the Chinese showed why he was the World Champion.

Ding beat Gukesh in 42 moves with black to establish himself as the favourite. However, Gukesh evened scores with a win in the third game after the second had ended in a draw.

The two players fought out for seven straight draws after that. Gukesh broke the stalemate in the 11th game to inch ahead but Ding fought back in the very next game to draw level again.

The penultimate match was also a draw and both the players went into the final game with a win required to stop the World Championship clash from moving into the tie-breakers.

Then came December 12. The day etched in chess history. Gukesh played with black. Ding had white. Gukesh tried attacking. Ding hit back. The game looked even until that fateful moment when Ding decided to blunder.

Even after seeing the blunder, Gukesh sat back observing for almost two minutes to play the right move and then the two men shook hands. Gukesh won! Tears rolled down his cheeks as he reset the board and that became one of the most famous chess videos ever.

Gukesh was crowned the 18th World Champion in one of the proudest sporting moments in Indian history.