Indian chess prodigy D Gukesh has taken the top spot of India’s chess rankings following his remarkable win against Firouzja Alireza of France in the Candidates Chess tournament. This impressive victory not only secured Gukesh’s lead in the tournament but also made him the youngest player in history to be a serious contender for the world championship title.
At just 17 years old, the young talent from Chennai earned 8.5 points out of a possible 13, placing him half a point ahead of his closest rivals, Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia and Hikaru Nakamura from the United States.
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Gukesh’s journey to the number one spot among Indian chess players reflects his extraordinary skill and strategic acumen. His breakthrough performance in the Candidates tournament was marked by a series of outstanding matches, where he displayed a deep understanding of the game and remarkable composure. This achievement sees him surpass Erigaisi Arjun to become India’s top-ranked chess player and propels him to the sixth position in the global rankings.
![Chess prodigy D Gukesh becomes youngest Indian to top national chess rankings after defeating Firouzja Alireza of France](https://d16f573ilcot6q.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/34-2-1-416x227.jpg)
The young Grandmaster’s ascent began with a critical victory against GM Misratdin Iskandarov (AZE) in the FIDE World Cup 2023, which laid the foundation for his rapid rise. This win also ended the 37-year-long reign of Viswanathan Anand as India’s top chess player.
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