Indian teen Dommaraju beats China's Ding to become youngest world chess champion

Teenager Gukesh Dommaraju of India became the youngest chess world champion by beating defending champion Ding Liren of China on Thursday (Dec 12) in a dramatic turn of events in the last game of a 14-game match in Singapore.

The 18th world champion is at age 18 four years younger than Garry Kasparov, who had been the youngest world champion since 1985 when he beat Anatoly Karpov.

Gukesh also became the second Indian after five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand to hold the title.

The World Chess Championship this year, held in Singapore for the first time, kicked off on Nov 20 at the Equarius Hotel in Resorts World Sentosa. 

Gukesh won Thursday's game with the black pieces after Ding wilted under pressure and blundered in what commentators considered to be a comfortable position, snatching the title with a final score of 7.5-6.5.

Ding, 32, slumped on the table after he realised he had made an endgame error that gave his opponent an opportunity to pounce.

The game was going for a draw but with a one-pawn advantage - supported by a rook and a bishop - a tenacious Gukesh pressed on and was richly rewarded for it.

Gukesh burst into tears, putting his face in both hands when he realised he was the new world champion.

"My whole strategy for this match was to push as much as possible in every single game," Gukesh told reporters.

"It just takes one game for the strategy to pay off."

Cheers from jubilant fans erupted at the viewing rooms near the playing arena.

Magnanimous in victory, Gukesh praised Ding, saying he "fought like a true champion".

The match was a 14-round long-time "classical" event with a prize fund of US$2.5 million.

World number one Magnus Carlsen, who had been world champion since 2013, relinquished his title in 2022, citing a lack of motivation.

Gukesh qualified in April by winning the Candidates tournament, and his victory on Thursday cemented his remarkable rise to stardom.