D Gukesh Takes Break After Historic Chess Victory, Challenges Magnus Carlsen
After making history by becoming the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, 18-year-old D Gukesh is taking a break from competitive chess. Following his landmark victory over Ding Liren in the World Chess Championship, Gukesh decided to skip the ongoing FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship to rest.
Gukesh, who clinched the title in Singapore after a tense 14-game battle with Liren, capitalized on a costly mistake by the Chinese grandmaster in the 55th move, leading to Liren’s resignation. Despite the historic win, former champion Magnus Carlsen criticized the quality of the match and called the classical format the "worst way" to crown the world’s best player.
Not deterred by Carlsen's comments, Gukesh responded with a bold challenge to the Norwegian legend. Gukesh stated he doesn't yet consider himself the best player in the world, but believes the title should be decided by competition. "When the best player doesn’t want to play, it’s not the fault of other players," Gukesh said. "As a chess fan, I’d love to see Magnus back."
Though Gukesh is now enjoying a short break, his challenge to Carlsen and his confidence in his own potential show that he is eager to continue proving himself on the global stage. The chess world eagerly awaits his next move.
