Indian chess prodigy Gukesh Dommaraju expressed a mix of nerves and excitement ahead of his bid to become the youngest undisputed world chess champion. The 18-year-old is set to face reigning champion Ding Liren of China in a best-of-14 series starting Monday in Singapore.
"The world championship is a very special event and I have been looking forward to being here since I first began to play chess," Gukesh told reporters. "There are certainly some nerves but I feel good about it and I'm eager to start playing. My only thought is to give my best and see what happens."
Gukesh earned the right to challenge for the title after his impressive performance at the Candidates tournament in Toronto in April, where he topped a field of eight grandmasters to become the youngest-ever world championship challenger. A victory in Singapore would see the teenager surpass Garry Kasparov, who was 22 when he first became world champion by defeating Anatoly Karpov in 1985.
Despite his youth, Gukesh is considered the favorite by chess experts, given his strong recent performances and Ding's struggles. Ding became the first Chinese player to be crowned world champion when he defeated Russia's Ian Nepomniatchi in Kazakhstan in April 2023, but his form has since dipped. The 32-year-old took a nine-month break from chess last year, citing personal difficulties and depression, and has yet to regain his top form.
Ding, however, struck a confident tone on Saturday. "The last time, in my first world championship match, I was very nervous," he said. "But this time I feel peace and a lot of energy. It's not often that I play against a player who is younger than me," he added. "Although I have more experience than him, he has displayed his maturity in many aspects so he won't be easy to beat."
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