2024 in review — Gukesh and India dominate chess world in a golden year of success

2024 in review — Gukesh and India dominate chess world in a golden year of success

When Ding Liren moved his rook to the f2 square in the 14th and final game of the 2024 World chess championship, it might have appeared to be just another ordinary move from the reigning and 17th World champion. However, for Indian chess, it symbolised a momentous high, the likes of which had not been seen in a long, long time. Leading this remarkable wave of success was none other than a teenager. On December 12, 2024, D. Gukesh realised his dream of becoming the youngest-ever World chess champion. In a dramatic turn of events, a one-move blunder by Ding — which could have otherwise led to tie-breaks — handed the crown to Gukesh in Singapore, making him the new king of the chess world.

The 18-year-old Gukesh, who shattered Garry Kasparov’s long-standing record to become the youngest World chess champion, spearheaded Indian chess in 2024, marking a historic year of unparalleled achievements.

The rise of Indian chess wasn’t sudden. The seeds of this success had been sown over the years. From a shared gold in the 2020 Online Olympiad to a historic silver medal at the 2021 Women’s Team Championship, a bronze medal in the Open section at the 2022 Chennai Olympiad, and R. Praggnanandhaa’s run to the 2023 World Cup final — Indian chess had been steadily brewing a storm. With Vidit Gujrathi and R. Vaishali’s Grand Swiss victories and five Indians qualifying for the Candidates Tournament, 2024 was the year when all the stars aligned, as the Indian chess ecosystem delivered a perfect season.

While Gukesh dominated the year, the brother-sister duo of Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali initially stole the spotlight. In January, Praggnanandhaa surpassed Viswanathan Anand to become the highest-ranked Indian in the live ratings. That same month, Vaishali, only the third Indian woman to earn the GM title after Koneru Humpy and Harika Dronavalli, was conferred the Arjuna Award, while their coach, R.B. Ramesh, received the Dronacharya Award for his years of behind-the-scenes work nurturing Chess Gurukul’s talent.

Vaishali’s breakthrough came with her triumph at the FIDE Grand Swiss, which earned her a spot in the prestigious Candidates Tournament. For Ramesh, this recognition felt like a validation of his years of tireless effort, marking him as one of the finest contemporary trainers in chess.

Among this wave of success, another name quietly rose to prominence — Arjun Erigaisi. The Warangal GM transformed his steady rise of 2023 into a disruptive breakthrough in 2024, gaining over 60 Elo points to breach the elusive 2800 rating mark. Arjun became only the 16th player in history and the second Indian after Anand to achieve this feat. His relentless, high-risk approach propelled him to a peak rating of 2809.3, making him World No. 2 and the holder of the 14th-highest peak rating in chess history.

Arjun’s 2024 campaign was nothing short of sensational. He began with a victory at the Menorca Open in April and continued his streak with a dominant performance at the Stepan Avagyan Memorial 2024, clinching the title with a round to spare.

His stellar year included a second-place finish at the TePe Sigeman Chess Tournament and a joint-fifth spot at the Sharjah Masters Open. His incredible 10/11 performance on Board 3 earned him both individual and team gold for India at the Budapest Chess Olympiad. Arjun capped off his year with a triumph at the WR Chess Masters Cup in London, outplaying an elite field including Anand, Alireza Firouzja, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Praggnanandhaa, and Vidit.

Gukesh, meanwhile, proved his mettle not once, not twice, but on three high-stakes occasions, cementing his place among the elite in global chess.

The first of these triumphs came in Toronto, where Gukesh battled against a formidable field in the 2024 Candidates Tournament. Competing against chess heavyweights — like 2018 World championship challenger USA’s Fabiano Caruana, World No. 3 USA’s Hikaru Nakamura, the youngest-ever to 2800 Elo rating, Firouzja, two-time World championship challenger Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi, and compatriots Praggnanandhaa and Vidit — Gukesh emerged victorious, earning the right to challenge Ding for the World championship.

The finale in Toronto was a tense four-way contest for the top spot. Gukesh led by half a point heading into the last round, where he faced Nakamura. Meanwhile, Caruana squared off against Nepomniachtchi, with all three chasing Gukesh, needing wins to catch him. In the 14th round, Gukesh held Nakamura to a draw, while Caruana squandered a winning position against Nepomniachtchi. This sealed Gukesh’s historic victory, making him the youngest-ever winner of the Candidates and only the second Indian after Anand to claim the prestigious title.

Gukesh’s achievements didn’t stop there. At the Budapest Chess Olympiad, he led India to its first-ever gold medal in the Open section, delivering a stunning 9/10 performance on Board 1. Gukesh’s dominance was unparalleled, with eight wins and a tournament-best 3000+ performance rating. His back-to-back gold medals, mirroring his performance from 2022, leave little doubt about his ability to reign at the top.

India’s golden run in Budapest wasn’t limited to the Open section. The Indian women’s team, comprising Harika, Vaishali, Vantika Agrawal, Divya Deshmukh, and Tania Sachdev, also claimed a historic gold. While the men dominated early and secured the top spot with nearly a round to spare, the women faced a tightly contested battle before clinching victory.

Individual brilliance shone through, with Divya and Vantika earning gold medals on their respective boards. The youth of India’s contingent made the triumph even more remarkable — six out of the 10 players were under 23, and the average age of the four individual gold medalists was below 20.

Leon Mendonca, Pranav Venkatesh, Gukesh, and Divya all had a unique way of celebrating their 18th year, leaving an indelible mark on the chess world in 2024.

Gukesh’s celebratory tweet after becoming the 18th World Chess Champion — “18th @ 18” — perfectly encapsulated the idea that age is just a number in chess.

Among these prodigies, Mendonca had a stellar start to the year. He clinched the 2024 Tata Steel Challengers event, a tournament that featured a mix of seasoned veterans and rising talents, including Erwin l’Ami, Hans Niemann, Anton Korobov, Salem Saleh, Divya, and Harika. His triumph secured him a coveted spot in the 2025 Masters event.

Pranav’s 18th year was equally remarkable. The 2022 Under-16 World Youth Olympiad gold medallist, Pranav bagged another gold, this time at the FIDE World Youth U-18 Open Rapid. He finished with an impressive 9.5/11 in the Rapid and scored 19.5/22 in the Blitz event.

He also won the Challenger section of the Chennai Grand Masters, earning himself a spot in the 2025 Masters event of the tournament.

Divya added her share of brilliance, complementing her double Olympiad gold with a victory at the 2024 World Junior Girls’ Championship, held on home soil in Gandhinagar. Her exceptional performances throughout the year elevated her to India’s No. 2 in women’s rankings, trailing only Humpy, and brought her closer to achieving the GM title.

While the teenagers dominated headlines, a 25-year-old calmly carved his path to the elite. Aravindh Chithambaram had a phenomenal year, gaining 66.9 Elo points — the highest among all players in the world’s top 30. With a live rating of 2728.9, Aravindh surged past renowned names such as Anish Giri, Richard Rapport, Daniil Dubov, and Vidit, cementing his place among chess’s elite.

And just when it seemed the year belonged entirely to prodigies, the 37-year-old Humpy reminded everyone of her enduring brilliance by clinching gold at the Women’s World Rapid Championship.

India’s best female chess player for over two decades, Humpy showcased her class and experience in New York, defeating Indonesia’s Irine Kharisma Sukandar in the final round to secure her second World Rapid title.

The Ding vs Gukesh World Championship marked the first time two Asians competed for the chess crown. With seven spots still open for the 2026 Candidates, the possibility of two Indians vying for the title is growing. Arjun, who narrowly missed qualifying via FIDE Circuit Ratings, aims for a comeback with opportunities through the 2025 World Cup, FIDE Grand Swiss, Circuit Ratings, and rating averages from August 2025 to January 2026.

The World Cup’s knockout format will be a key event, with Praggnanandhaa aiming to replicate his 2023 success. However, matching or surpassing 2024’s achievements will be a challenge.

Meanwhile, Magnus Carlsen’s push for freestyle chess, emphasising creativity over opening theory, is gaining momentum. The 2025 Freestyle Chess Tour, including New Delhi, reflects this shift. Tensions between chess elites and FIDE continue, highlighting the evolving dynamics of the sport as traditional structures face growing dissatisfaction.

Pranav Venkatesh: The 75th Grandmaster from India and 27th from Tamil Nadu, is another prodigious talent emerging from Chennai. Born on October 13, 2006, the 18-year-old has already built an impressive resume in chess.

In 2024, Pranav clinched gold at the FIDE World Youth Under-18 Open Rapid, finishing with 9.5/11, and dominated the Blitz event with 19.5/22, four points ahead of his nearest rival.

Earlier, he showcased his skills at the World U-16 Youth Olympiad 2022, remaining undefeated with a score of 8.0/9 to win individual gold on Board 1, helping Team India finish fifth. In the same year, he also won the Challengers Chess Tour by defeating Raunak Sadhwani in the final.

Pranav triumphed in the Challenger section of the Chennai Grand Masters in November 2024, guaranteeing himself a spot at the Masters event of this tournament in 2025. At the 2024 World Rapid and Blitz Championships in New York, Pranav delivered a creditable performance, finishing 44th in the Rapid section (7.5/13) and 29th in the Blitz section (7.0/13) in highly competitive fields.

Currently, with a live Elo rating of 2615.0, Pranav ranks 135th globally and 10th in the junior rankings. His peak rating is 2632, which he achieved in June 2024.