D. Gukesh, the seventeen-year-old chess Grandmaster (GM) surpassed five-time World champion Viswanathan Anand to become the highest-ranked Indian (World No. 9) in the live chess ratings on Thursday.
To lend perspective to the feat, Anand has been India’s No. 1 in the published FIDE ratings for 37 years.
Gukesh still has to sustain his position until September 1 when the new FIDE ratings would come out, but it’s still a phenomenal achievement nevertheless.
Gukesh overtakes Anand in live world rankings
Gukesh’s coach Vishnu Prasanna is happy with his ward’s achievement.
“He’s entered the top 10 in the rankings and that is very important. Overall, I’m very happy because he has really grown over the last year. This year, he’s been very consistent. I thought it was quite possible. I mean, this year, at the beginning of the year, I thought that. We wanted him to enter the top-10 this year,” Prasanna said.
The coach further stated that this has been Gukesh’s best year so far.
“After TATA (Steel Chess 2023), it was all fine. When he entered TATA, he was in a crisis. I mean, he had a few bad tournaments after the Olympiad, even in the rapid and blitz he was doing poorly. So we entered TATA with a not-so-good mindset. But after the second half of TATA and the WR Masters in February, it was clear that he was going to play well. But, you know, even for me it was a surprise that he did it so cleanly. He hardly had any bad events. He has done very well in that sense.
“Probably, this is his best year. I mean regardless of what he’s done before, it’s hard to maintain (the position he’s consolidated), to go to that level and not get a beating. So, he’s achieved that. Definitely, this is his best year so far,” he said.
Gukesh is the youngest-ever player to breach the 2750 Elo mark, another staggering feat for a person of his age.
In 2019, Prasanna and Anand thought that it would be hard for Gukesh to breach the 2700 Elo mark after the teen had become the World’s second-youngest Grandmaster.
“Traditionally, it is supposed to be hard. But he’s put in a lot of effort and clearly, he’s been able to do it. He’s managed to do it quite convincingly. Even the jump from 2700 to 2750, it’s not at all easy. I mean you can see the other people and there are so many Grandmasters who never make it to this level. So, yes, he’s been very impressive,” said Prasanna.
Viswanathan Anand with D. Gukesh in 2012. | Photo Credit: KARUNAKARAN M/The Hindu
When referred to his ward’s accomplishments at such a young age, the coach said, “He’s definitely an exception, and a potential for the World Championship in a way. Because I mean, most World champions are at this level at this age. So, we’ll have to see, that (becoming the World champion) is very far away. But (Alireza) Firouzja and Magnus (Carlsen), they were all at a similar level at this age. So, in that case, I think Gukesh is one of the exceptions of his era.”
Susan Polgar, former women’s World chess champion, is an earliest backer of Gukesh. In her recent post on social media on Gukesh’s feat, she pointed out his maturity as one of his standout qualities. Prasanna has also found that quality as striking when Gukesh had first come under his wings.
“He was very matured for his age. He was very focused, and disciplined and he would listen to instructions and try to emulate that. He has a lot of trust with whoever he is working with.
“I knew that he was talented and saw a lot of good things in him. But you can never predict things so far ahead. It’s very hard. I mean, it is a sport where there is no guarantee of anything despite the work. So, overall, yes, he has exceeded my expectations,” he said.
On whether he believes Gukesh can become World No.1, the coach believes defeating Magnus Carlsen will be the biggest challenge.
“Magnus will try to stop him. I mean becoming World No. 1 is the goal definitely. There will still be a sort of difference between Magnus and the others (in the top-10). Even though the numbers seem close, there is a lot of difference. So, he still has to work and improve and get himself there,” he said.
Comments
SHARE