Gukesh ‘shifting tectonic plates’ in chess's global order, says Kasparov

RUSSIAN chess legend Garry Kasparov praised 17-year-old Grandmaster D Gukesh for becoming the youngest challenger ever for the world title and called the win, “the Indian earthquake in Toronto".

Kasparov said this win signifies the “shifting tectonic plates" in the global chess landscape.

Seventeen-year-old Gukesh broke the record set by none other than Garry Kasparov 40 years ago. The Russian chess legend was 22 when he qualified in 1984 to challenge his fellow countryman, Anatoly Karpov, making Kasparov the youngest challenger at the time.

“Congratulations! The Indian earthquake in Toronto is the culmination of the shifting tectonic plates in the chess world as the 17-year-old Gukesh D will face the Chinese champion Ding Liren for the highest title," wrote Kasparov on 'X', obliquely referring to the Russian domination of the past.

Gukesh concluded the 14th and final round with a straightforward draw against American chess player Hikaru Nakamura, finishing with nine out of 14 possible points in the tournament that determines the challenger for the world champion title.

With this achievement, Gukesh earns a match against the reigning world champion, Ding Liren from China, scheduled for the last quarter of the year.

India's five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand has cultivated a chess culture in the country, leading to a surge in young chess players. As a result of the Grandmaster's success, thousands of teenagers and young adults across India have embraced the game of chess.

Garry Kasparov recognized Anand's impact on Indian chess, remarking, "The 'children' of Vishy Anand are on the loose!" This was in response to a congratulatory tweet from the Grand Chess Tour after Gukesh's recent success.

“Congratulations to Gukesh D for his victory in the FIDE Candidates, securing his place as a challenger in the World Championship Match! We eagerly anticipate his participation in our grand chess tour events!," wrote Grand Chess Tour on X.

In another social media post, Kasparov highlighted the shift in the power centre of chess, saying, “Look at the names of many of the top junior players in the USA and England to see that the Chinese and Indian diaspora are just as passionate to achieve at chess."

"The Kasparov Chess Foundation has watched this wave rise and Gukesh's success will raise it further," Kasparov, the undisputed world champion from 1985 to 1993, wrote on X.

After a conflict with the International Chess Federation (FIDE), Kasparov established an alternative organization called the Professional Chess Association. He held the world No. 1 ranking for a record-breaking 255 months in total, from 1984 until he retired from regular competitive chess in 2005.