Teenaged chess prodigy Gukesh D defeats idol Viswanathan Anand in Grand chess tour rapid segment

In a thrilling turn of events at the Superunited Rapid and Blitz tournament in Zagreb, India's rising chess star, Gukesh D, achieved a momentous victory over his idol and India's first grandmaster, Viswanathan Anand.

The 17-year-old prodigy emerged triumphant after a gripping 40-move battle against the five-time world champion. This remarkable win marked Gukesh's first-ever victory against his revered senior in his maiden tournament encounter.

Both Gukesh and Anand now find themselves tied for fourth place with 10 points each in the overall standings. The tournament is currently being led by Italian-American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana and Ian Nepomniachtchi, with both players holding 12 points.

Reflecting on his impressive achievement, Gukesh expressed his happiness, stating, "It was a very important win. I'm happy." He further explained the course of the game, mentioning how he initially felt he had an advantage but Anand equalized quickly. However, Anand's subsequent blunder on the back rank led to a tricky position, making it challenging for both players.

Anand's loss against Gukesh resulted in him falling two points behind the tournament leaders, Caruana and Nepomniachtchi. Meanwhile, former world champion Magnus Carlsen currently holds the third position with 11 points. The upcoming rounds will feature blitz games, in which Carlsen, Anand, and Nepomniachtchi are expected to participate.

In the previous rounds, India's first grandmaster, Anand, had drawn his games against Jan Krzysztof Duda of Poland and Nepomniachtchi in the seventh and ninth rounds, respectively. Gukesh, on the other hand, experienced an initial setback with a loss against Caruana but rebounded strongly with a victory over Anand and a draw against Nepomniachtchi, reaffirming his form in the tournament.

The Superunited Rapid and Blitz tournament follows a scoring system where two points are awarded for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss in the rapid format. The subsequent blitz segment utilizes a different scoring system, with one point for a win, half a point for a draw, and no points for a loss.