World chess champion Gukesh Dommaraju has revealed that he was “a bit overconfident” ahead of his debut match at the World Chess Championship last year. He created history in December 2024 by becoming the youngest world champion in chess (at 18 years), breaking Garry Kasparov’s 1985 record who did it at 22 years.
Speaking on the iQOO Quest Talk podcast with CEO Nipun Marya, Gukesh candidly recalled his mindset before his first game.
“I was a bit overconfident when I went for my first World Championship game. I played a horrible game, and then I kind of woke up from the dream,” he admitted.
He also shared a personal memory involving legendary Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, who comforted him after the early setback. The two were staying in the same hotel during the championship, and Gukesh recalled their chat in an elevator.
Anand told him: “I had 11 games to come back. You have 13.” The advice referred to the change in format—earlier World Championship matches had 12 games, while the current format has 14.
Looking back, Gukesh credited that moment as an important turning point in keeping his focus alive during the tournament.
The youngster also spoke about another special milestone—his 2024 FIDE Candidates Tournament victory, which paved the way for his world title triumph.
“I made it to the Candidates at the very last minute. I was almost on the verge of missing out, but just a few days before, I qualified and then played one of the best tournaments of my life. The whole World Championship preparation was so intense,” he recalled.
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