Gukesh's Victory Sparks Debate on Chess Quality

The International Chess Federation's president defends match mistakes after 18-year-old D Gukesh wins World Championship against Ding Liren. Criticisms include Vladimir Kramnik's view of a low-quality final, echoed by Magnus Carlsen. Viswanathan Anand suggests Gukesh ignore critiques, celebrating the historic win.

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) President, Arkady Dvorkovich, addressed criticisms about the just-concluded World Championship match between India's D Gukesh and China's Ding Liren, stating that mistakes make the sport thrilling. Gukesh became the youngest ever to claim the world title at age 18.

The match garnered mixed reactions, with former world champion Vladimir Kramnik voicing his dissatisfaction with the quality on display, describing Ding Liren's blunder as 'childish' and calling it the 'end of chess as we know it.' Similarly, Magnus Carlsen criticized earlier rounds, likening them to lower-tier tournaments rather than a world championship.

Despite the criticism, chess legend Viswanathan Anand advised the young champion to overlook the negative comments, highlighting the inevitability of critiques following success. 'Criticism is part of the game, just ignore it and move on,' Anand remarked, while acknowledging the historic moment of Gukesh's victory.

(With inputs from agencies.)