Indian GM Gukesh Dommaraju Breaks into World Top-Five After Double Gold at 2024 FIDE Chess Olympiad

Indian GM Gukesh Dommaraju has made history by breaking into the world top-five for the first time on the October 2024 FIDE rating list. This achievement comes after his outstanding performance at the 2024 FIDE Chess Olympiad in Budapest, where he secured double gold medals. Gukesh’s remarkable performance earned him 30 rating points, propelling him to world number-five.

Not only did Gukesh shine at the Olympiad, but his world championship opponent, GM Ding Liren, faced a setback by dropping eight points without winning a game. This widened the gap between Gukesh and Ding to a significant 66 points.

Another Indian GM, Arjun Erigaisi, also saw a rise in the rankings, moving up to world number-three. However, a loss to 15-year-old Turkish GM Ediz Gurel in the Bundesliga caused Arjun to slip back down to fifth on the live rating list.

The Olympiad proved to be a platform for young chess prodigies to showcase their talent. Players like Gukesh and Arjun maintained their ratings or made gains, while some rising stars like Ediz Gurel and Alua Nurman from Kazakhstan made significant strides in their ratings.

Overall, the Olympiad shattered the theory that top players would lose ratings when facing varied opposition. Established stars like Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura maintained their ratings, while young talents like Gukesh and Ediz Gurel seized the opportunity to prove themselves as the future of chess.

Gukesh’s achievement was lauded by world champion Magnus Carlsen, who praised his skills and potential. With promising young talents like Gukesh and Ediz Gurel making waves in the chess world, the future of the game looks bright for India and other emerging chess nations.