Even though it was not an easy match, D Gukesh, the current world chess champion, defeated Vincent Keymer in a nerve-racking 72-move match on Wednesday. In the Masters division of the ongoing Tata Steel Chess tournament in Wijk aan Zed, it also proved to be the longest match of Round 5 on Wednesday. In the live ratings, which are updated in real-time, Gukesh surpasses Arjun Erigaisi to become the new India No. 1.
Notably, Keymer participated in the World Chess Championship in December of last year while representing Gukesh's squad in Singapore. Gukesh played with white pieces on Wednesday while wearing a grey hoodie. Due to his initial mistakes, the German gained early control. However, Keymer's plan to wear down the Indian was quickly defeated by Gukesh's analysis of the game, and the German quit.
Erigaisi, who was India's top player prior to this tournament, has dropped 21.5 points and is now at 2779, whereas Gukesh has increased his live rating by seven Elo points to 2784. Erigaisi was in the 2800-club prior to this incident, but his recent performance has been lacking. He has two draws and three losses in Wijk aan Zed. He shares the bottom spot with Leon Luke Mendonca.
Magnus Carlsen leads the live ratings with 2832.5 despite not competing in the event. American general manager Hikaru Nakamura comes in second with 2802 and Fabiano Caruana in third with 2798. Erigaisi is currently ranked fifth on the rankings, while Gukesh is now ranked fourth. In the meantime, Viswanathan Anand (2750) is in 11th place, and R Praggnanandhaa (2753.9) has moved up three spots to 10th.
Indian chess is now witnessing unprecedented growth, with young players consistently making their mark in international tournaments. This generational transition is not just a shift in rankings but also a testament to the promising future of chess in the country.
As D Gukesh takes the crown as India’s No. 1, the chess community eagerly anticipates more remarkable feats from these young prodigies, who are redefining the country’s position in the global chess arena.
