Viswanathan Anand, one of chess’s all-time greats, has come out in full support of India’s newly-crowned World Chess Champion, Gukesh Dommaraju, urging him to ignore the criticism that followed his historic victory. Gukesh, at just 18, made headlines on Thursday by defeating China’s Ding Liren in the 14th and final game of the World Chess Championship in Singapore, becoming the youngest-ever player to claim the prestigious title.
However, his triumph was met with skepticism, especially from some legendary figures in the chess world. Former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik, for instance, expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of the match, labeling it the “end of chess as we know it.”
Kramnik, in a tweet, referred to Ding Liren’s blunder as “childish” and criticized the game’s overall quality, while Magnus Carlsen, another chess giant, echoed similar concerns, stating that the match did not reflect the standard expected of World Championship contenders.
Despite the criticism, Anand, a five-time World Champion and Gukesh’s mentor, encouraged the young champion to ignore the negativity. “It (criticism) comes with every match. To be honest, I think it just comes with the territory. You ignore it and that’s all,” Anand said, as quoted by PTI.
He pointed out that Gukesh’s rise to the top has been a result of consistent effort and dedication, citing his victory in the Candidates tournament this year and his impressive performance at the Chess Olympiad. Anand emphasized that such criticism is unavoidable for anyone who achieves greatness.
“You cannot expect to become world champion and not face some random criticism,” said Anand.
Anand, who has been closely observing Gukesh’s progress at his WestBridge Anand Chess Academy, shared his pride in seeing his pupil’s remarkable transformation over the past few years.
“I’ve had a chance to watch his meteoric journey through the cycle to the World Championship match. It’s a golden generation of Indian players establishing themselves at the top,” said Anand.
The veteran chess maestro also praised Gukesh’s calm and strategic approach during the decisive game. “Gukesh was not playing aggressive or anything. He had an extra pawn and was circling around, trying to find a way through,” Anand explained. The tactic of wearing down his opponent, even when a draw seemed imminent, proved crucial when Ding faltered under pressure and blundered.
