In a stunning upset at the 2023 SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz tournament, young Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh defeated Viswanathan Anand in round 8 of the Rapid event, as per TOI.?
This win for the 17-year-old lasted 40 moves and was his first victory vs Anand.
As of now, both players have 10 points apiece, meaning they are tied for 4th place in the standings.?
"It was a very important win. I'm happy," Gukesh said while speaking to the Grand Chess Tournament's social media handle.?
"I thought I was better, but he equalised quite easily. Then he blundered the back rank. And after that, the position got really tricky. It was very hard to play from there. We were discussing the game," he added.?
Fabiano Caruana are Ian Nepomniachtchi in the joint top spot after the Rapid event ended, both on 12 points.?
Despite starting as leader on Day 1, Anand lost crucial points. Meanwhile, World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen is in 3rd place.?
In his other games, Anand managed only draws against Jan-Krzysztof Duda in round seven and Nepomniachtchi in round nine.?
Other than beating Anand, Gukesh on the last day of the Rapid section lost to Caruana and drew vs Duda.?
Defeating Anand is a big deal. After all, the man is one of the best in the world. When we think chess the first name that comes to mind is Viswanathan Anand. In a sport that requires mind over matter, Anand has been in the thick of things since he became a grandmaster in 1988. He was the first Indian to achieve the feat.
The man has won the World Championship 5 times. When he held it from 2000 to 2002, he was the first Asian to do so. In 2007 he was in the number one position and his current rank is 15.?
What makes his achievements really special is the fact that he hails from a country that is crazy for cricket. Despite that, Anand has been able to make a name for himself in his field of expertise. If it's Sachin Tendulkar in cricket, it's Anand in chess.?
Anand took up chess when he was 6 from his mother but he developed it while staying in Manila, Philippines. It proved to be the right move as it came to him naturally and in the years to come, he would become a household name in the sport. ???