Gukesh Dommaraju becomes youngest chess champion

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China's chess grandmaster Ding Liren (L) and India's grandmaster Gukesh Dommaraju (R) compete in game 14 of the 2024 FIDE World Championship in Singapore on December 12, 2024. World chess champion Ding Liren, 32, from China, is defending his crown ag (SIMON LIM / AFP / Getty Images)

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NEW DELHI - Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest chess world champion Thursday after beating the defending champion Ding Liren of China in the final match of their series in Singapore.

Dommaraju, 18, secured 7.5 points against 6.5 of his Chinese rival in the contest, surpassing the achievement of Russia’s Garry Kasparov who won the title at the age of 22.

The championship appeared destined to head into a rapid tiebreak as a draw in the final classical game of the match would force faster time controls to determine a winner. Liren beat Russia's Ian Nepomniachtchi in rapid tiebreaks to claim the crown in April 2023.

After 32 moves in Game 14, Liren was down a pawn to Dommaraju with each player still with one rook and their light-square bishop on the board. While the position was still a draw with correct play - per computer analysis - Liren needed to keep his pieces on the board. On the 55th move of the game, Liren blundered by allowing Dommaraju to trade off the rook and bishop into a losing pawn endgame. He resigned on move 58 to give Dommaraju the crown.

The Indian teen prodigy has long been considered a rising star in the chess world after he became a chess grandmaster at 12. He had entered the match as the youngest-ever challenger to the world crown after winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year.

After securing victory, Dommaraju burst into tears and raised his arms in celebration.

"I was dreaming this moment for the last 10 years. I am happy that I realized the dream (and made it) into reality," he told reporters after his win.

Dommaraju is now the second Indian to win the title after five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand.

"It’s a proud moment for chess, a proud moment for India... and for me, a very personal moment of pride," Anand, who has been a mentor to Dommaraju, said in a post on X.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the 18-year-old on his "remarkable accomplishment," calling it "the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work and unwavering determination."

"His triumph has not only etched his name in the annals of chess history but has also inspired millions of young minds to dream big and pursue excellence," Modi said in a post on X.

Thursday’s match was a 14-round long-time classical event with a prize fund of $2.5 million.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.