D Gukesh’s winning mentality analysed by chess legend Viswanathan Anand in massive claim: ‘If you’re his opponent, you…’

D Gukesh became the youngest-ever world chess champion in history in December last year. The 18-year-old achieved the landmark feat by defeating defending champion Ding Liren at the World Chess Championship in Singapore. It was a dramatic affair as the match reached the decisive 14th game and a blunder from the Chinese GM in the 55th move saw him resign and concede to Gukesh in a massive moment.

Gukesh became the 18th world champion at the age of 18, four years younger than Garry Kasparov, who had that record since 1985.

Viswanathan Anand on D Gukesh’s winning mentality

Speaking to Forbes India, Viswanathan Anand, who is also a five-time world champion, spoke about the India No. 1’s composure and his ability to concentrate easily even in tough situations. “For instance, his win in Game 11 [of the World Championship] was met by quite a stinging defeat in Game 12, but he took it in his stride and kept working,” Anand said.

Gukesh and Anand are also India’s only two world chess champions. The chess legend added, “There’s a kind of consistency that you see with him and that makes him very strong because, if you’re his opponent, you feel it’s hard to break him.”

Further analysing Gukesh’s style, Anand said, “He prepared diverse ideas in many different openings. Some didn’t work, like Game 1, but many worked, like Games 3, 7, 13.”

Gukesh was recently in action at the Weissenhaus Freestyle Chess Grand Slam event, where he endured a winless run and finished in eighth spot. He is set to participate in the Paris Grand Slam event, and also in Grand Chess Tour events in the coming months. He is also set for a classical chess showdown with Magnus Carlsen at Norway Chess 2025.

In Paris, Gukesh will be part of a strong Indian contingent, which also consists of Arjun Erigaisi and R Praggnanandhaa. Praggnanandhaa beat Gukesh at the title-deciding tie-breaker round in Wijk aan Zee to win the Tata Steel Masters in January this year.