Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh has been widely favored to clinch victory in his World Chess Championship clash against China’s reigning champion, Ding Liren, set to take place later this month in Singapore.
The young prodigy’s success has been remarkable this year, marked by his historic achievement as the youngest player to win the Candidates Tournament and his leadership of India’s winning team at the 45th Chess Olympiad.
Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri is among those who see Gukesh emerging the winner. “I will be really, really surprised if Gukesh doesn’t win,” Giri told The Hindu. “Everything points to his victory at the moment. He has been playing tremendously for a long time.”
Giri believes Gukesh’s play has evolved significantly since his appearance in the 2022 Chess Olympiad in Chennai. “If we compare Gukesh from the previous Olympiad, I think he has added a solid layer to his play,” Giri remarked. “He was always good at generating chances, at going for uncompromising chess, but he didn’t have a solid backup.”
Reflecting on his own experience facing Gukesh in the recent Sinquefield Cup, Giri said “When I played him, he surprised me with very deep, very solid preparation. He didn’t give me a chance to get the game going. Earlier, you would always be able to get a fight with him.”
The 2024 World Chess Championship match between Gukesh and Liren will take place in Singapore from November 25 to December 13. The championship will be a best-of-14 format, with fast chess tie-breaks if necessary.
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