At last month’s IPL mega auction in Saudi Arabia, 13 cricketers were sold for amounts exceeding Gukesh’s World Championship prize money.
India’s teenage prodigy, D Gukesh, made history on Thursday by becoming the youngest-ever world chess champion. The 18-year-old triumphed over China’s defending champion Ding Liren in a nail-biting final. Gukesh clinched victory in the 14th and final game of the series, securing the required 7.5 points to Liren’s 6.5. The decisive classical time-control game appeared destined for a draw until Gukesh’s remarkable finish sealed the win.
Before Gukesh’s historic victory on Thursday, Russian legend Garry Kasparov held the record as the youngest world chess champion, winning the title at 22 by defeating Anatoly Karpov in 1985. Gukesh entered the match as the youngest challenger to the world crown, earning his spot after triumphing in the Candidates tournament earlier this year.
Gukesh is the second Indian to claim the world chess title, following the legendary Viswanathan Anand, a five-time world champion who last won the crown in 2013.
How much did D Gukesh earn from the World Championship?
With this historic victory, Gukesh secured a grand prize of USD 1.3 million (approximately ₹11.03 crore) from the total prize pool of USD 2.5 million.
In the 2024 World Chess Championship, with a total prize pool of $2.5 million, each classical game win was worth $200,000 (approximately ₹1.69 crore). Gukesh claimed three victories, earning $600,000 (around ₹5.07 crore), while Liren won two games, taking home $400,000 (roughly ₹3.38 crore).
The remaining $1.5 million in prize money will be shared equally between the players. As a result, Gukesh’s total earnings rise to $1.35 million (approximately ₹11.45 crore), while Liren takes home $1.15 million (around ₹9.75 crore).
How does Gukesh’s prize money compare to IPL top buys?
Despite earning ₹11.45 crore from the World Chess Championship, Gukesh’s prize money falls short of the top picks in the IPL 2025 auction. Held in Saudi Arabia last month, the mega auction saw 13 cricketers fetching bids higher than Gukesh’s earnings.
Rishabh Pant, the highest-paid player in the IPL auction, fetched nearly 2.5 times Gukesh’s World Championship prize money. Pant was sold for a record-breaking ₹27 crore, the highest-ever in IPL auction history, as the Lucknow Super Giants splurged on the Indian wicketkeeper-batter.
Gukesh’s triumph goes far beyond prize money. His achievement marks a monumental step in solidifying India’s position as a global chess superpower.
