D Gukesh To Koneru Humpy: In 2024, India has taken the chess world by storm, achieving several groundbreaking milestones. The nation has garnered global attention for its remarkable feats, turning chess into a major topic of discussion not only among fans but also within the general public.
From Gukesh’s World Chess Championship triumph to historic Chess Olympiad victories, here are some of the impressive things India has achieved in chess this year.
Historic Chess Olympiad Success
India created history by winning the Chess Olympiad for the first time in Budapest, Hungary. What made this feat even more special was that both the men’s and women’s teams won gold medals, garnering a total of six gold medals in team and individual competitions. In the men’s final, India defeated Slovenia, and the women’s team beat Azerbaijan.
India is now one of only three countries, with China and the former Soviet Union, to have both won men’s and women’s gold medals in the same Chess Olympiad edition. India had the following individual gold medalists: D. Gukesh (Board 1), Arjun Erigaisi (Board 3), Divya Deshmukh (Board 3), and Vantika Agarwal (Board 4).
India’s First FIDE Candidates Winner In 2024
Another first is when Grandmaster Gukesh D won the 2024 FIDE Candidates Tournament. At age 18, Gukesh made history as the youngest winner ever of the highly regarded tournament. This victory marked the end of a long drought for India in the FIDE Candidates, with Gukesh being the first Indian to win since Viswanathan Anand’s triumph in 2014.
The tournament included some of the world’s top players, including Hikaru Nakamura (USA), Ian Nepomniachtchi (Russia), and Fabiano Caruana (USA). This win gave Gukesh the chance to challenge China’s Ding Liren for the World Chess Championship title.
D Gukesh Crowned World Chess Champion
Gukesh’s crowning moment was when he defeated Ding Liren to win the 2024 World Chess Championship. That moment created ripples in the chess world and won over the hearts of many people around the globe.
At 18, Gukesh broke Garry Kasparov’s record to be known as the youngest World Chess Champion ever. His victory made him only the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand to win the World Chess Championship title, thus cementing India’s dominance in the sport.
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R Praggnanandhaa Beats Magnus Carlsen
Indian youngster R Praggnanandhaa was making waves when he defeated the five-time World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen in the classical format. This historic win of Praggnanandhaa over Carlsen at the Norway Chess tournament marked a significant milestone in his career and further strengthened his position as one of the brightest young stars in the chess world.
Arjun Erigaisi Enters Elite 2800 Elo Rating
Arjun Erigaisi has become the second Indian player after Viswanathan Anand to cross the 2800 Elo rating in chess. He achieved this rare feat by defeating Dmitry Andreikin of Russia in the 2024 European Chess Club Cup. Erigaisi is the 15th Grandmaster in chess history to cross the prestigious 2800 Elo rating further strengthening India’s dominance in the global chess arena.
Koneru Humpy Wins FIDE World Rapid Championship
India’s Koneru Humpy ended 2024 with a flourish as she clinched the FIDE World Rapid Championship in New York. Humpy emerged victorious in Round 11, outplaying Indonesia’s Irine Kharisma Sukandar to bag the title. This marks her second win at the World Rapid Championship. The first time was in 2019 when she conquered Moscow. Today, she is one of the finest players in the world.
