D Gukesh Becomes India’s No. 1 Chess Player After Stunning Win Against Keymer

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): D Gukesh has created a stir in the chess world by becoming India's new No. 1 player following a remarkable victory against Vincent Keymer at the Tata Steel Chess tournament in Wijk aan Zee. The match, the longest in Round 5, spanned 72 moves and highlighted Gukesh's determination and strategic brilliance. Although he made some initial mistakes giving Keymer an early advantage, Gukesh skillfully turned the tables, forcing Keymer to resign.

This win boosted Gukesh's live rating to 2784 an increase of seven Elo points. Meanwhile Arjun Erigaisi, the former top player, experienced a rating dip to 2779 due to a challenging tournament performance that included three losses and two draws. Gukesh remains unbeaten in the tournament with notable victories over Anish Giri and Keymer, alongside draws against Vladimir Fedoseev and Alexey Sarana.

With eight rounds still to play, the live ratings are subject to change. Erigaisi has an opportunity to regain the top spot if he can recover his form. Globally, Magnus Carlsen leads the rankings with 2832.5 points, followed by Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana. Gukesh's rise to fourth place signifies a pivotal moment for Indian chess while R Praggnanandhaa's ascent to tenth position, surpassing Viswanathan Anand in eleventh, underscores the emergence of young talent in the country.