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Magnus Carlsen answers whether Gukesh is a worthy world champion

Magnus Carlsen, five-time World Champion who has since moved on from classical chess, gives his take on whether India's Gukesh is a worthy owner of the crown.

The reigning world champion D Gukesh in action at a chess tournament. (FILE photo)

In December last year, India’s Gukesh Dommaraju scripted history when he was crowned the world champion, beating China’s Ding Liren in a titanic clash that nearly needed tiebreaks. Norway’s Magnus Carlsen, widely regarded as the best in the world, has moved on from classical chess, relinquishing his crown. But recently in an interview, he weighed in on whether he thinks Gukesh is worthy of the title at the moment. Magnus Carlsen and Gukesh will face off for the first time in classical chess after Gukesh’s coronation as world champion at the Norway Chess tournament.

“Well, I mean he won the Candidates, ahead of a field of world beaters. And he’s done incredibly well in Classical Chess in the last couple of years, including one of the all-time best performances in the Olympiad,” Carlsen said on the Take Take Take chess app. “Is he the best player in the world? Remains to be seen. But is he a worthy world champion by, you know, what we measure that as, yeah, I think he certainly is.”

In the elite list of world chess champions starting way back in 1886, 17 men had previously been crowned and Gukesh became the first teenager to do so, becoming the 18th at 18. Officially, Gukesh had broken the record held by Garry Kasparov — at 22 years, six months and 27 days. Carlsen was was 22 years, 11 months and 24 days when he won his first title.

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Indeed, in the press conference shortly after winning his title, Gukesh had no qualms in admitting who he thought was the best in the world. “My goal is to play in the top level for the longest time possible. I have just started my journey. I want to have a very long career and to stay at the very top,” he said, before adding: “Becoming the world champion does not mean I am the best player, obviously that is Magnus.”

Gukesh said that it will be a motivating factor for him in the years to come, knowing that there is someone out there at such a superior level. “That will help me keep doing the right things, working hard, and trying to reach the level of greatness that Magnus has achieved.” He later added, “”Obviously playing against Magnus in a world championship would be amazing, it would be the toughest challenge there is in chess. I mean, it is up to Magnus, but I would love to test myself against the best player in the world.”

But Carlsen has stood firm in his stance that he is not keen on playing the longer format anymore.