Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju took a step closer to becoming the youngest chess world champion after defeating China’s Ding Liren in the 11th game of their world championship match. With this win, Gukesh now leads the series 6-5 with just three games left to play, ending a series of seven consecutive draws.
The 18-year-old Gukesh played with the white pieces and forced a resignation from Ding after the defending champion made a crucial mistake under time pressure. Despite his important victory, Gukesh remained cautious, acknowledging that there are still three more critical games to go in the 14-match series.
Both players approached the game cautiously, with only five moves made in the first hour. Gukesh took his time before making the 11th move, leading to a tense time-pressure game after almost four hours of play.
When Ding resigned, Gukesh’s supporters at the Resorts World Sentosa hotel in Singapore erupted into applause, chanting his name. Gukesh expressed gratitude for the support of Indian fans, highlighting the energy it gives him.
If the players are tied after the 14 games, the match will move to a tie-breaker on December 13. Gukesh, the youngest player in history to compete in the World Championship, aims to surpass Garry Kasparov as the youngest undisputed world chess champion.
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