India’s 18-year-old chess prodigy, D Gukesh, on Thursday (December 12) became the World Chess Champion after beating title-holder Ding Liren of China. Gukesh triumphed over Ding Liren in a 14-game World Chess Championship match held in Singapore. He is now the youngest-ever champion in the history of the sport. He is also the only
Before him, Russia’s Garry Kasparov held the title of the youngest-ever world champion at 22 years, six months, and 27 days. Magnus Carlsen, who opted not to defend his title in 2023, was 22 years, 11 months, and 24 days old when he claimed his first championship in 2013.
The list of chess champions began in 1886 and had seen 17 men take the title home, but never a teenager. Gukesh, the 18th one on the list, is the only teenager to ever join the elite club.
World Chess Championship: Full list of winners
| S. No | Player | Dates | Wins | Years won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wilhelm Steinitz | 1886-94 | 4 | 1886, 1889, 1890, 1892 |
| 2 | Emanuel Lasker | 1894-1921 | 6 | 1894, 1896, 1907, 1908, 1910 |
| 3 | Jose Raul Capablanca | 1921-27 | 1 | 1921 |
| 4 | Alexander Alekhine | 1927-35, 1937-46 | 4 | 1927, 1929, 1934, 1937 |
| 5 | Max Euwe | 1935-37 | 1 | 1935 |
| 6 | Mikhail Botvinnik | 1948-57, 1958-60, 1961-63 | 5 | 1948, 1951, 1954, 1958, 1961 |
| 7 | Vasily Smyslov | 1957-58 | 1 | 1957 |
| 8 | Mikhail Tal | 1960-61 | 1 | 1960 |
| 9 | Tigran V. Petrosian | 1963-69 | 2 | 1963, 1966 |
| 10 | Boris Spassky | 1969-72 | 1 | 1969 |
| 11 | Bobby Fischer | 1972-75 | 1 | 1972 |
| 12 | Anatoly Karpov | 1975-85 | 4 | 1975, 1978, 1981, 1984 |
| 13 | Garry Kasparov | 1985-2000 | 6 | 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1995 |
| 14 | Vladimir Kramnik | 2000-07 | 3 | 2000, 2004, 2006 |
| 15 | Viswanathan Anand | 2007-13 | 4 | 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012 |
| 16 | Magnus Carlsen | 2013-2023 | 5 | 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021 |
| 17 | Ding Liren | 2023-24 | 1 | 2023 |
| 18 | Gukesh Dommaraju | 2024-present | 1 | 2024 |