D Gukesh shines at Tata Steel Masters, Magnus Carlsen hints at World Championship return

D Gukesh, the youngest-ever world chess champion, has been stealing the spotlight at the Tata Steel Masters tournament, with fans flocking to see the reigning champion in action. The 18-year-old made history last month when he defeated Ding Liren to claim the world championship title.

The championship reached a decisive moment in the fourteenth game, with Liren trying to enforce a tie-breaker. However, a massive blunder by the Chinese grandmaster led to his resignation and a historic victory for Gukesh. Despite his win, Gukesh acknowledged that he still had a long way to go to be considered the best in the world, pointing to Magnus Carlsen as the true chess master.

Carlsen, the current World No. 1, had previously decided not to defend his title in the 2023 Championship, citing a lack of motivation for championship matches. However, after Gukesh’s win against Liren, Carlsen hinted at a possible return to the World Championship cycle, expressing his admiration for the top players in the tournament.

If Carlsen does decide to rejoin the FIDE World Championship cycle, he will likely challenge Gukesh for the world championship title in 2026. To earn that opportunity, Carlsen will need to win the upcoming Candidates Tournament, which will feature top players from various qualifying events.

The chess world is abuzz with anticipation as fans eagerly await the potential showdown between Gukesh and Carlsen in the next world championship match. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting development in the world of chess.