2024-04-29 01:20:58
Chennai: Indian chess star D Gukesh on Thursday thanked the great player Vishwanathan Anand, who played an important role in improving his career, and said that if Anand had not been there, he would not have been even close to where he is today. Seventeen-year-old Gukesh created history by winning the Candidates Chess Tournament in Toronto and becoming the youngest challenger for the World Championship title. He broke Garry Kasparov’s 40 year old record.
He will challenge current world champion Ding Liren of China at the end of the year. Gukesh, who won the Candidates Tournament after Anand, said after returning home, ‘It feels very good. Vishwanathan Anand is my inspiration and I benefited a lot from his academy. He played an important role in my career and I would not have been anywhere close to where I am today had it not been for him.
Gukesh has practiced at the Westbridge Anand Chess Academy, established in 2020. Regarding the match against Liren, he said, ‘The biggest challenge will be how I prepare. I have to go in with the right mental preparation because this is a big match. “There are a lot of expectations and a lot at stake,” he said. I have full confidence in myself and will play with this strategy. Hopefully it will prove effective.
He said, ‘I am happy to see what my victory means for the country. It was nice to see such enthusiastic children welcoming me like this. This is very special and means a lot to me.