Gukesh Dommaraju is a 19-year-old chess player from India and the current world chess champion. He is known as one of the most talented young players in chess history. He started playing chess at the age of seven and became a grandmaster when he was only 12 years old, making him one of the youngest ever to do so.
Gukesh won many youth tournaments and rose quickly in world rankings, crossing a very high rating of 2750. In 2024, he won the Candidates Tournament and later became the youngest World Chess Champion.
Gukesh Chess: One-Hour Lessons To World Champion
Gukesh learned chess at age seven and began regular one-hour lessons three times a week. He left school after class IV so he could focus fully on chess, with his father traveling to tournaments with him. His talent was quickly spotted, and he became part of India’s strong chess community, training alongside other top young players.
Gukesh Chess: Record-Breaking Rise to World Champion
Gukesh has played many top chess events and gotten great results. He became the youngest to pass a 2750 rating and reached a career-high near 2794, making him one of the world’s top players. He helped India win its first Chess Olympiad gold with a 9/10 score on board one. In 2024, he won the Candidates and then became the World Chess Champion at only 18 years old.
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Gukesh Chess: Top-Class Performance
Gukesh has played many important chess tournaments and performed very well in them. From a young age, he started winning games against strong and experienced players. He scored highly in national championships and did well in international events too.
Gukesh also played a key role in team tournaments, helping India win big medals. His strong results helped his rating grow quickly, showing that he is calm, smart, and confident even under pressure against top players.
Gukesh has done very well in many big chess events. In the 58th Indian Chess Championship, he scored 8½ out of 11 and finished second. He won first place in open tournaments like the La Roda and Menorca Opens with great scores.
At the Chess Olympiad, he scored 9/10 on board one and helped India win gold. He also played strongly in rapid and online competitions, showing steady results against top players.
Gukesh Chess: Khel Ratna Award
Gukesh has received many important awards for his strong performances in chess. In 2023, he won the Asian Chess Federation Player of the Year award. In 2024, he was nominated for Chess Player of the Year at the Times of India Sports Awards.
His biggest recognition came in 2025, when he won the Khel Ratna Award and also claimed the Times of India Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year and Chess Player of the Year (Male).
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