D Gukesh opens up on challenge of being chess world champion: ‘For sure there is extra pressure’
 "D Gukesh opens up on challenge of being chess world champion: ‘For sure there is extra pressure’")
Reigning world champion D Gukesh also opened up on his ambitions of becoming only the second Indian to occupy the top spot on the FIDE ratings, where he had peaked at No 3 and currently occupies the 10th spot.
It’s been nearly a year since
Gukesh Dommaraju defeated China’s Ding Liren in Singapore to become the youngest world champion in chess history. And at a recent ‘Ask Me Anything’ session conducted by the Global Chess League on social networking platform X on Friday, the 19-year-old admitted that the tag of being a ‘world champion’ does bring with it ’extra pressure’.
“For sure there is extra pressure and I feel it too but with each change I have adapted sooner or later in my career so far and I’m sure I will do that this time too!” Gukesh wrote in response to a question on the pressure of being a world champion.
Gukesh has charted a meteoric rise in the sport over the last couple of years, ever since he dislodged the legendary Viswanathan Anand as the top-ranked Indian in 2023. The Chennai lad has since then become the youngest champion in Candidates history, starred in India’s historic double Olympiad gold besides defeating Ding in the world championship showdown.
‘Will give my absolute best for it’: Gukesh on No 1 ambitions
He had been ranked as high as No 3 during this period. And while he has slipped to No 10 in recent weeks, Gukesh certainly doesn’t rule out the possibility of him dislodging five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen from the No 1 spot.
“I know I will give my absolute best for it but whether or not it happens I would be happy with the effort I put in,” he responded to a query on his No 1 ambitions.
Anand remains the only Indian to occupy the top spot on the FIDE ratings, having reigning supreme in various phases from 2007 to 2011.
Dislodging Norwegian superstar Carlsen from the top spot, however, will be easier said than done for Gukesh as the 34-year-old, who holds the record for the highest peak FIDE rating ever, has been No 1 continuously since July 2011.
Gukesh, meanwhile,
will be competing in the third season of the Global Chess League, which will be taking place in Mumbai later this month.
The reigning world champion, who has had a mixed run so far this year and had early exits at the recent FIDE Grand Swiss and the World Cup, is part of PBG Alaskan Knights along with GMs Arjun Erigaisi, Leinier Dominguez, Kateryna Lagno and Daniel Dardha as well as IM Sara Khadem.
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