SINGAPORE: On a normal December afternoon in the city in 2023, D Gukesh was feeling the weight of the world on his young shoulders. Still only 17, the dark circles around his eyes had betrayed how little sleep he had had over the last few months. In August, when he had overtaken Viswanathan Anand's live Classical Elo rating, he was breathing an air so rarified it was already Everest-ian in its achievement. In September, he had become the top-ranked Indian on a published FIDE list, a record Anand had held for over 35 years.
Still only a boy but already identified as the prince who would become king.
That particular prophecy was facing a lot of headwind three months later, around the time Gukesh had checked into the plush city hotel in December. Those bags under his eyes were worrying. Later that day, as he was preparing to play in the inaugural edition of the Chennai Grand Masters, he would say this period was 'very tough'.
In the cut-throat world of elite Indian chess, being second best and breaking historical records doesn't cut it anymore. You have got to be the best every single day and twice on Sunday. Otherwise, you are in constant danger of being swallowed by the tide. It's just the name of the game. You are either the beast or you are in danger of being consumed by it.
Gukesh knew all of this coming into that Chennai event. It's why he had willingly signed up for a punishing schedule even when he wasn't playing his best chess. He had played in Baku, Dusseldorf, Kolkata, Berlin, Hangzhou, Doha, Douglas and London before that event in Chennai in a little over three months. To put it in perspective, it's like a fast bowler playing five Tests in unfriendly conditions in a 40-day period. He spoke about being under pressure.
"There are a lot of thoughts going on in my mind," he had said when he was asked about the presence of other Indian players in the Candidates. Gukesh wanted to be in that tournament but he was on the outside looking in. He needed to win that Chennai event to qualify, for one chance to reach the promised land."You learn to handle it (pressure)," he had said. "The last few months have obviously been tough but it was a great learning experience."
Gukesh went on to win that tournament, he qualified for the Candidates, and he won that event. In the process, he became the youngest person to win the Candidates. A few months after the Candidates, he led the Indian team to a historic over the board gold at the Olympiad. Now, he has the chance to do something only one Indian has done in over 75 years of FIDE-organised World Championships. Win the title.
The one thing Gukesh has already shown is his ability to fight when put under immense pressure. It's what happened in Chennai. It's what defines him as well as sets him apart. Over the next few weeks in Singapore, he will be put under pressure by Ding Liren. Recent history shows he relishes it. Recent history, if it's anything to go by, also suggests that Gukesh will become the youngest-ever world champion.
What makes him stand out even among a standout generation? Here's Anand. "As you can imagine," he tells this daily, "it's not any one thing. He's quite versatile, he knows more modern training methods and all that. At the same time, he's someone who's very sincere about developing his skills, his attitude is such that he respects the need to study, he genuinely wants to get better... all the qualities are correct."
While a lot of people close to Gukesh keep pointing out his work ethic, he marries off-the-board hard work with the sort of computation that wouldn't be out of place in some of the most advanced calculators. Both Anand and Carlsen agree to this.
"He's not a tactician," the Norwegian told the TakeTakeTake YouTube channel earlier this week. "He's more of a deep calculator, precise calculator." What Carlsen means when he says that is Gukesh thinks and analyses his lines a lot before committing to his moves. For example, when Gukesh makes a move, he has already thought of the opponent's response, his own reply to that and so on. Others, like Carlsen, are more intuitive.
Anand spoke on similar lines. "When I had heard about him (for the first time), he had just become a GM," Anand tells this masthead. "He came and visited me at my house. We discussed a bit of chess. What can you say about somebody who becomes a GM at such a young age? You knew that he was immensely talented. I got to know him a bit better over the years and I realised that, first of all, he's a very good calculator, very hardworking and these kinds of things."
It's possible to argue that Gukesh is an outlier even in the modern chess world where young, inexperienced players are placing their tanks in front of the lawns of the experienced players. But does Anand think it's happened way too fast for the compatriot?
"No, I'm not surprised by his maturity but it's true that I didn't expect this result so early," he says. "Normally, you don't expect this to happen the first time. You don't expect this to happen any time. All you are thinking is 'when you are playing these Candidates, I have a chance and let's see how it goes'. I never thought I'm the favourite. It's great for him that he succeeded in his very first attempt. In fact, he's going into the match as a historical... youngest candidate ever. Attempting the youngest title ever."
The two have of course discussed the title match over the last few months and some of those discussions cannot be revealed to the outside world. However, the one constant messaging Anand has left Gukesh is this. "Stay calm, unexpected things will happen."
As long as Gukesh manages to control the list of 'unexpected things' in Singapore, the Tiger of Madras, as Anand is known, will have a new joinee in one of the game's most exclusive clubs.
Another world champion. There have only been 17 of them.