World Chess Champion D Gukesh has addressed the sharp criticism from former champion Magnus Carlsen regarding his World Championship final against Ding Liren in Singapore. Gukesh, who became the youngest chess World Champion in history, shrugged off Carlsen’s remarks, defending his performance and highlighting the mental and emotional challenges of a World Championship match.
The final, which stretched across 14 gripping games, concluded with a dramatic blunder from Ding Liren in the last game, allowing Gukesh to secure victory. Despite the triumph, the quality of the match was heavily criticised by Carlsen and former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik. Kramnik labelled the match as “the end of chess as we know it,” while Carlsen described it as resembling “a second or third-round clash in an open tournament.”
Asked about Carlsen’s remarks, Gukesh stated that he was unaffected. He acknowledged that while the standard of play may have faltered at times, a World Championship match is not decided solely by technical chess skills but also by resilience and determination.
“Not really,” said Gukesh when asked if he was hurt by Carlsen’s comments. “I get that maybe in some of the games, the quality was not high, but I think the World Championship matches are decided not purely by chess but by who has the better character and who has the better willpower. And I think those qualities, I did show quite well.”
The 17-year-old grandmaster conceded that the experience of playing at such a high level for the first time presented unique challenges. He admitted that his chess performance was not as refined as he would have liked, but he emphasized his ability to capitalize on critical moments, which ultimately made the difference.
“And the pure chess part, it was not at a very high level as I would have liked it to be because it’s a new experience for me,” Gukesh explained. “So the workload was different, the pressure was different. It’s understandable that I was a bit off, but I managed to strike at the critical moments, which I am happy about.”
Carlsen, meanwhile, has ruled out competing in future World Championship matches, including facing Gukesh, citing his lack of interest in the current championship format. Carlsen had previously given up his World Champion title after choosing not to defend it in 2023, a decision that left the title open for Gukesh and Liren to contest.
Despite the criticism, Gukesh remains focused on improving his game and cementing his legacy. His historic victory has already placed him among the brightest stars in chess, and his ability to handle both the pressure of competition and external scrutiny underscores his growing maturity as a champion.