Bengaluru: What’s it like to achieve your life’s greatest dream at 18? Less than a week after Gukesh D became world champion by defeating China’s Ding Liren, the Indian teenager is still processing this incredible achievement. In an interview with HT, Gukesh shared insights into the challenges, uncertainties, and new goals that lie ahead.
Achieving the dream that motivated you for all these years at just 18 must be hard to process… does it feel challenging to set new goals now?
For the past year, from qualifying and winning the Candidates to preparing for the match, this has been my sole focus. Finishing this journey on such a high was incredible. After my win, when I had a moment alone, I just thanked God and then went through all the messages from family and friends. I hadn’t spoken to them in a while, so we caught up. I couldn’t sleep the night I became world champion, but later, when I finally rested and woke up, it hit me that it was over. There were no more games to look forward to the next day, and it felt strange. It was odd not feeling that rush of adrenaline.
It’s reassuring to know that this isn’t the end of the journey. Becoming the best player in the world is now my top priority.
While Ding was resilient and fought exceptionally well, you were the one mostly pressing throughout the match. How much did knowing that influence your approach to the games?
After game two, I realized that while he was giving his best effort, he wasn’t the one taking the initiative. It was more about the mindset. This understanding gave me the freedom to apply pressure for as long as possible, trying to tire him out. From game two onwards, it was clear that I was the one pushing the game. It felt good to know that, and I also focused on keeping him engaged on the board, as that’s how the game should unfold.
I wasn’t exactly at my best, and it was tough to accept that to win, I didn’t have to be at my peak—just better than my opponent.
Yeah, absolutely. I could feel the energy, but I wasn’t able to give it my all. It became clear that this was unlike anything I had ever experienced before.
It took a while to come to terms with that. The draws I had in the seventh and eighth games, missing winning positions, were frustrating. But after Game 12, I told myself, “Okay, this is a new experience, it’s a fair match, and anything can happen.” Once I accepted that, I could focus on just showing up and playing one game at a time.
In one of his recaps, Magnus suggested that the match might have played out differently if it had been Fabiano (Caruana) or Hikaru (Nakamura) instead of Ding facing you. What’s your take on that?
I think it’s a fair point, but you can never really know. One of the key factors in this match was the uncertainty—I didn’t know which version of Ding would show up. If I had been playing against someone else, I might have had more clarity, and my mental and physical preparation could have been different. Maybe I could have played at 120 percent. But you never know how things will go. In the end, the only thing that mattered in this match was that I was facing one opponent, and I had to be better than that one person. If I had played someone else, I would have focused on being better than them instead.
One thing that was clear to everyone in this match is that Ding is an incredible fighter. Even though he wasn’t at his best physically or mentally, and has his own challenges to work through, I truly wish him the best.
You’ve witnessed a few world champions in your lifetime and read about many others. What kind of world champion do you aspire to be, and what impact do you see your victory having, especially in India?
Chess-wise, I want to be as dominant as possible. My goal is to perform at my best, continue improving, learning, and becoming the best version of myself. I see it as both a privilege and an honor to be in this position. As a world champion, I want to fulfill the responsibilities required of me. I aim to contribute to the game, help develop it in any way I can, and introduce it to more and more people.
Bringing the title back to India feels incredible. It’s amazing to see the excitement and passion people have for it in the country. I believe many young kids can now see themselves achieving great success in chess.
The Candidates tournament is still a ways off. Are you following the qualification process, and do you expect to face an Indian challenger in 2026?
I’d be thrilled if the Indian players continue to perform well and keep pushing forward. Throughout our careers, it’s always been a cycle—one player performs well, and then the next one steps up. It’s not just the Indians, though; there are others doing well too. It’s definitely going to be an exciting journey.
You had some great ideas in the openings, and Ding spent a lot of time untangling them. Which one was your personal favorite?
My favorite was definitely A3 and the French I played in Game 13. It was probably my top choice because the idea came from Vincent (Keymer) right after Game 1, and he had been encouraging me to play it. Psychologically, it was tough for me to play the French and replicate something similar to the first game.
Once I overcame that emotional barrier, I began to appreciate the idea and really enjoyed executing it. Full credit to my team, especially Vincent. It worked out really well.
Did you consider any other Indian players (apart from Pentala Harikrishna) for your team at any point?
Our main goal was to form a team where everyone could come together. These players have known each other for a long time, so the bond was really strong. While we did think of a few other strong Indian players, the mix we had on our team felt like the perfect fit.
What does winning all this money mean to you, and how are you planning to spend your break?
This money provides us with financial stability. My family and I have been through a lot, so it’s a relief. I’ll be playing next at Wijk Aan Zee in January 2025, but for now, I’m looking forward to a nice vacation.
