New Delhi: Chess fans around the globe are currently glued to the 2024 World Chess Championship, which began on Monday (November 25) in Singapore. This historic edition pits reigning world champion Ding Liren of China against India’s 18-year-old prodigy Gukesh Dommaraju.
The event, running until December 13, marks the first all-Asian clash in World Chess Championship history. The tournament format features up to 14 classical games, with the first player to score 7.5 points crowned champion.
Each game will follow a time control of 120 minutes for the first 40 moves, 60 minutes for the next 20 and 15 minutes for the remainder of the game, with a 30-second increment per move starting from move 61. Draw agreements are prohibited before the 41st move.
If the match ends in a tie after 14 games, a tie-break will follow. This includes a rapid-playoff (25+10 time control) and, if necessary, blitz and individual games until a winner emerges.
Ding, 32, is the reigning world champion, having won the title in 2023 after defeating Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi. Hailing from Wenzhou, China, Ding has faced struggles in classical chess since his victory and took a nine-month break due to mental health concerns. He entered the match ranked world no 23 with a rating of 2728.
Gukesh Dommaraju, the youngest-ever player to compete in the World Championship, is ranked world no 5 with a rating of 2783. The Indian teenager earned his spot by winning the 2024 Candidates Tournament in Toronto, setting multiple records. A win in Singapore would make him the youngest world chess champion in history — breaking legendary grandmaster Garry Kasparov’s record — and the second Indian to be crowned world chess champion after Viswanathan Anand, who held the title from 2007 to 2013.
While pundits favour Gukesh due to his strong form, Ding’s experience cannot be discounted. The two have faced each other in three classical games, with Ding leading 2-0, including a win earlier this year. However, the Chinese grandmaster has openly admitted concerns about his recent performance.
Gukesh, meanwhile, remains focused and unperturbed by predictions. His preparation includes support from long-time coach Grzegorz Gajewski and mental performance expert Paddy Upton, who worked with India’s cricket and hockey teams.
Ding has retained Hungarian grandmaster Richard Rapport, his second from the 2023 championship, as a key part of his team.
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The total prize fund is $2.5 million, distributed based on outcomes. Each win in the classical games earns $200,000 for the victor. In case of a tie-break, the winner receives $1.3 million while the runner-up earns $1.2 million.
This championship represents more than a battle of skill. With tensions between China and India often making headlines, the historic duel between Ding and Gukesh draws comparisons to the iconic Cold War-era showdown between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky in 1972.
