D Gukesh on being World Chess Champion: I just wanted it more than anybody else
India’s D. Gukesh cited desire as the driving force behind his rise to World Chess Champion. The Indian Grandmaster claimed the world title in 2024 after defeating China’s Ding Liren in the final in Singapore.
“It [world championship] was something maybe I just wanted more than anybody else. More than anything else that I wanted in my life so far,” said Gukesh in a video interview with the Saint Louis Chess Club, on the sidelines of the Sinquefield Cup 2025.
“I mean from my childhood I used to dream about it and I think I managed to make the most out of the opportunities that I got and that’s all you can do,” he added.
Gukesh also credited former world champion Viswanathan Anand for shaping his career and the broader success of Indian chess in recent years.
“I would think that a huge part of the success had to be Vishy sir. Not only by being an inspiration or role model, but also by taking upon himself to create an academy for the youngsters, together with my sponsor, WestBridge. They started the WestBridge Anand Chess Academy.
“I was a part of it. At that time I was just a 2500 grandmaster and then for sure helped a lot in me becoming a top player. Once the results started to show up the government support the corporate sponsorships and all that came naturally. It’s a bit of everything I think and you always need a bit of luck to go absolutely in your favor,” said Gukesh.
Reflecting on the competition at the top level, Gukesh suggested that margins are often razor-thin among the world’s elite.
“I think in the top 10, most of them are around the same. Most of it depends on who comes with a better mindset on that given day or in that specific tournament.
“Last year, for example, Arjun and I were doing great, but Pragg [Praggnanandhaa] was not doing great. This year Pragg has been winning a lot of tournaments. It mostly depends on who has that one per cent extra motivation or the one per cent extra energy. It is the little things that matter,” said Gukesh.