Gukesh responds to critics, says, “Ding Liren and I were two dead people playing chess”

CHENNAI: The mood in the city was celebratory as Gukesh D was greeted with a warm and rousing reception upon his arrival during the early hours of Monday, even as a cloud of criticism hung over him following his title victory over Chinese Grandmaster Ding Liren.

A few critics raised concerns about the final moments of the 14th and decisive round of the World Chess Championship, particularly questioning Liren’s moves in the closing stages. Andrei Filatov, the President of the Russian Chess Federation and a FIDE Honorary member, accused Ding of intentionally losing and called for a special investigation into the matter.

Speaking to the media after landing in Chennai, Gukesh addressed the controversy, emphasising the exhaustion that comes after such a gruelling series of games. “We played 13 games at the highest level of chess, with so much intensity and hard work behind it. By the time you reach the final match, with the title on the line, you’re pretty much mentally and physically drained. It was essentially two dead players playing a game of chess, and mistakes are inevitable in those moments,” said Gukesh.

Former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik also voiced his disappointment, calling Liren’s final moves “childish.”

Amid the rising criticism, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich defended the players on Friday, asserting that mistakes are a natural part of the game and that fingers should not be pointed at players after such a high-pressure match.

During the final stages of the 14th match, Liren made a miscalculation. In an attempt to mobilise his king and rooks to force a draw, he made an error that allowed Gukesh to simplify the position and gain a more advantageous setup and thus, at just 18 years old, Gukesh made history by becoming the youngest-ever Chess World Champion earlier this week.

Gukesh to skip Rapid/Blitz event

Earlier this month, FIDE published the list of participants for the Rapid and Blitz World Championships, set to take place in New York City from December 26 to 31. Gukesh was listed as the 25th seed in the Rapid Open category and 50th in Blitz. However, the reigning World Champion has confirmed that he will not be travelling to Cipriani Wall Street and will be skipping the year-end tournament. Magnus Carlsen, the top seed, will lead the event, with Indian Grandmasters Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, Vidit Gujrathi, Aravindh Chithambaram, and others also competing.