World Champion Gukesh Sets to Defend Crown Against Sindarov in Singapore

A Historic Title defence Begins

Singapore — World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju is set to defend his crown against Uzbekistan’s rising star Javokhir Sindarov in an upcoming World Championship Match held in Singapore, as announced by FIDE. The highly anticipated rematch places the youngest World Champion in history under fresh pressure to reclaim his throne.

Gukesh’s Meteoric Rise

Born in Chennai on 29 May 2006, Gukesh Dommaraju has written one of the most extraordinary stories in chess history. After picking up the rules of the game at age seven, he quickly rose through the ranks, winning the Asian School Chess Championships in 2015 before dedicating himself fully to the sport.

His rapid development saw him become an International Master in 2017 and, in January 2019, the second-youngest grandmaster in chess history at just twelve years old. By 2022, he had already become the youngest player ever to surpass the 2750 Elo rating mark.

Key Achievements Leading to the World Stage

• Individual gold medal on Board 1 at the 2022 Chess Olympiad in Chennai, scoring 9 out of 11
• Youngest-ever winner of the 2024 Candidates Tournament
• Individual gold on Board 1 and team gold at the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest, scoring 9 out of 10
• Became the youngest undisputed World Champion in history after defeating Ding Liren

Defending the Crown

In September 2024, Gukesh’s stellar performance at the Budapest Olympiad — which included a rating performance of 3056 — propelled him into the world’s top five and helped India secure its first-ever team gold at the event. Just weeks later, in November and December 2024, he faced Ding Liren in the World Championship match held in Singapore, eventually clinching the title after a dramatic 14-game contest.

Now, as he prepares to face Sindarov, the Indian prodigy appears ready to embrace what could be the greatest challenge of his young career: rediscovering his best form on the biggest stage once again.

Source

This report is based on information published by FIDE — International Chess Federation.

Official source: https://www.fide.com/the-young-king-faces-his-toughest-challenge/