The FIDE World Chess Championship 2024 kicks off on November 25, and the anticipation is already high. From India's young chess star D Gukesh aiming to break records as the youngest World Champion, to reigning champion Ding Liren expressing concerns about holding onto his title, players are sharing plenty of thoughts. (More Sports News)
Here's a look at who said what as the countdown begins.
Garry Kasparov: 'I Don't Treat This As A World Championship Match'
The FIDE World Chess Championship 2024 took on a different tone when Russian chess legend Garry Kasparov remarked that the upcoming match between India’s D Gukesh and China’s Ding Liren doesn’t represent a true contest between the world's top two players, citing the absence of five-time champion Magnus Carlsen.
"My hottest take is that I don't treat this as a World Championship match. For me, a World Championship match was always a match for the title of the best player in the world," Kasparov said on a YouTube show for the St Louis Chess Club.
He added, "With all due respect, Ding Liren playing Gukesh is an important event. It's a FIDE event. I think Gukesh is favourite, because the way Ding Liren has been playing lately, it's kind of a shadow of the old Ding Liren we all remember."
"If he can recover miraculously, then it will be an interesting fight. But, in any case, it's an event that has nothing to do with the main idea of the World Championship match, to decide, to find the best player on the planet," Kasparov concluded.
Ding Liren: 'I Am Worried About Losing Very Badly'
The World Chess Championship gained intrigue as defending champion Ding Liren openly admitted to fearing a loss against India's rising star, D Gukesh.
Liren candidly shared that he sees himself as the clear underdog in the title match, revealing his concern that he might lose “very badly” to his young challenger.
“Clearly, I’ll be the underdog approaching this match, Gukesh is in top for, I hope I can become a totally different player and at least give him a fight to slow down his pace to have some winning chances,” Ding said in an interview.
"This is the longest I've gone without a classical win. Maybe I'm not as eager to play anymore… I don’t have the same ambition to win," Ding admitted, adding, "I'm worried about losing very badly to Gukesh; hopefully, it won’t happen."
Magnus Carlsen: 'Ding Is Not Completely Recovered From Last World Championship'
Norwegian Chess Grandmaster, Magnus Carlsen offered a candid perspective on Ding Liren's admitted fear of losing, saying, "I think people realize the World Championship is an incredibly tough event. Preparing for it is one thing, but the intensity is something else entirely, you can't fully prepare without actually playing in it."
He added, "Many find both playing and then recovering from it extremely difficult. With Ding, I think he's still not fully recovered from the last World Championship. You could even argue that maybe the only thing that could help him fully recover is to win this one."
“You can sense when Ding plays that he is lacking confidence. He’s apprehensive in his play. It feels like he’s making some steps. Like he’s trying to play more aggressively, trying to play more of the chess that he can play. But he’s still struggling. He’s still finding it hard to make the decisions he needs to make when the chips are down."
Anish Giri: 'D Gukesh Not Winning Will Be Really Surprising'
Dutch GM Anish Giri for one would be “really, really surprised” if Gukesh doesn’t end up defeating Liren in what will be the biggest match of his career, and become only the second Indian after the legendary Viswanathan Anand to be crowned world champion.
“I will be really, really surprised if Gukesh doesn’t win. Everything points to his victory at the moment. He has been playing tremendously for a long time,” Giri told The Hindu.
Magnus Carlsen: 'Gukesh Doesn’t Have World Championship Experience'
Carlsen further gave insight on Liren's fear of losing to Gukesh, he said, "Gukesh is an extremely strong player, but he doesn’t yet have the experience to avoid giving away chances completely. Liren just needs to stay confident, and we all know what he's capable of."
Levon Aronian: 'Gukesh Needs To Fight In Every Single Game'
American grandmaster Levon Aronian, a chess legend, believes Gukesh is the "favourite" in his World Championship match against Ding Liren.
"I think Gukesh is the favourite. What he needs to do is fight in every single game. From my experience as an observer, in World Championship matches, resilience and the will to fight matter the most. Players who show determination and desire often come out on top. In the end, it will be a very special match," Aronian, who is in India for the Chennai Grand Masters, told the Times of India.
D Gukesh: 'I'm Quite Eager To Start The Match'
Indian prodigy D Gukesh is excited for the upcoming match, stating, "This year has been great so far, with a lot of interesting chess and some nice achievements. I'm really looking forward to the World Championship match in Singapore. It's coming up soon, and I'm eager to get started."
The 2024 World Chess Championship will take place in Singapore from 25 November to 13 December, with Gukesh and Liren set to compete in a best-of-14 games series, including tie-breaks if necessary.
