HISTORIC WIN -GREAT ACHIEVEMENT-Gukesh emerges youngest Candidates winner, becomes second Indian to qualify for classical World Championship final

India’s D Gukesh became the youngest winner of the FIDE Candidates tournament after an exciting final round on Monday in Toronto.

Apr 22, 2024 05:56 IST , 

Gukesh held fellow title contender Hikaru Nakamura to a draw with black pieces in Round 14 to ensure his title win and become the second Indian to qualify for a World Championship final in the classical format, after Viswanathan Anand.

The 17-year-old has now qualified for the World Championship final, where he is slated to face China’s Ding Liren, making him the first teenager to reach the summit clash of chess’ biggest prize.

Gukesh had entered the competition as the third youngest player in the tournament history -- after Bobby Fischer and Magnus Carlsen -- and was not considered among the favourites for the title by many.

The Indian teenager though was incredibly composed throughout the tournament, winning five games and losing just one -- against France’s Alireza Firouzja -- on the way to a historic title win.

Candidates 2024: Vaishali beats Lagno to record fifth consecutive win; Humpy betters Tingjie

India’s R Vaishali ended her FIDE Candidates 2024 campaign on a high after beating Russia’s Kateryna Lagno in the final round to register her fifth consecutive win in the competition, in Toronto on Monday.

Playing with black pieces, Vaishali countered Lagno in Ruy Lopez opening variation and eventually prevailed to gain her sixth win of the competition.

The 22-year-old Indian had started the tournament in solid fashion before suffering a mid-competition slump, losing four games on the trot, dropping to the bottom of the women’s points table.

But starting from Round 10, Vaishali found some serious form to end with 7.5 points, which puts her joint second in the points table alongside China’s Lei Tingjie and compatriot Koneru Humpy.

Humpy got the better of Tingjie in the final round on Monday playing with black pieces. With the Chinese player pressing hard for a win, as she had a faint chance to catch up with Tan Zhongyi on top of the points table, the experienced Indian capitalised on an open game to clinch the win and finish joint second.