Gukesh Dommaraju
The youngest world champion in history. In December 2024, at just 18, the Indian prodigy Dommaraju Gukesh defeated Ding Liren to capture the undisputed crown — breaking a record that had stood since Kasparov and announcing, emphatically, that the future of chess belongs to a new generation raised in the shadow of Viswanathan Anand. He is the current titleholder and the youngest link in a 140-year chain.
Classical, principled chess is Gukesh's foundation. A deep calculator with a mature positional sense well beyond his years, he plays the long, rich games — the Ruy Lopez and the main lines of 1.e4 — and outworks opponents through sheer depth and fighting will rather than gimmicks.
Born
2006 · Chennai, India
World Champion
2024–present — the reigning, undisputed champion
Record
Youngest undisputed world champion in history, at 18
Style
Deep calculation, mature positional play, relentless fighting spirit
Breaking a 39-year-old record
Gukesh earned his title shot by winning the 2024 Candidates Tournament — itself a record, as the youngest player ever to do so. In the World Championship match against the defending champion Ding Liren in Singapore, the two were level after thirteen hard-fought classical games. Then, in the fourteenth and final game, Ding — under relentless pressure in a long endgame — made a fatal error, and Gukesh pounced to win the game and the match 7.5–6.5.
At 18, Gukesh became the youngest undisputed world champion in the history of chess, shattering the record set by Garry Kasparov, who was 22 when he won the title in 1985. The image of the teenager weeping at the board as he realized he had become champion travelled around the world — a generational changing of the guard.
Anand's children take over
Gukesh did not arrive alone. He is the spearhead of an extraordinary generation of young Indian grandmasters — players who grew up idolizing Viswanathan Anand, India's first champion, and who now dominate the world's junior and open events. The chess boom Anand set off a generation ago has produced its first world champion in Gukesh, and likely not its last. For the first time, the centre of gravity of elite chess has shifted decisively toward India.
Where the reign goes from here is the open question of the present era — including whether the young champion can eventually challenge the man who still stands above the title, Magnus Carlsen. For now, the crown rests, improbably and historically, on the head of a teenager from Chennai.
Gukesh Dommaraju — FAQ
Who is the current World Chess Champion?
Gukesh Dommaraju of India is the reigning undisputed World Champion. He won the title in December 2024 by defeating Ding Liren 7.5–6.5 in Singapore, becoming, at 18, the youngest undisputed world champion in history.
How old was Gukesh when he became world champion?
He was 18 — the youngest undisputed champion ever, breaking Kasparov's record (22, in 1985). He had also become the youngest-ever winner of the Candidates Tournament earlier in 2024.
How did Gukesh win the 2024 World Championship?
He beat defending champion Ding Liren 7.5–6.5 over fourteen classical games in Singapore. The match was level going into the final game, which Gukesh won after Ding made a decisive endgame error under pressure.
The Ruy Lopez — the classical 1.e4 chess that suits Gukesh's deep, principled style.
The Sicilian — the sharp modern theory the new Indian generation handles fearlessly.
The endgame — where the 2024 title was decided, and where Gukesh's maturity shows.
- World Chess Championship 2024 (Gukesh–Ding) records, FIDE.
- Candidates Tournament 2024 (Gukesh's victory) records.
- Coverage of Gukesh becoming the youngest undisputed champion.
- Reporting on the Indian chess boom and Anand's influence.
The newest champion in a 140-year chain
From Steinitz in 1886 to Gukesh in 2024, the world title has passed hand to hand for nearly a century and a half. Explore the whole story — every champion, and the games that made them.