The World Chess Championship final between India’s Gukesh Dommaraju and China’s Ding Liren has taken a controversial turn, with Russian Chess Federation President Andrei Filatov accusing Ding of deliberately losing the match.
Gukesh’s historic victory made him the youngest World Chess Champion and only the second Indian to achieve this feat, following his mentor, Viswanathan Anand.
Filatov has formally requested an investigation by FIDE (International Chess Federation) into the 14th and final game of the championship, where Gukesh triumphed to secure the title with 7.5 points to Ding’s 6.5. The accusation, shared by Ukrainian chess coach Peter Heine Nielsen on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), claims Ding’s actions in the decisive game were “extremely suspicious.”
“The result of the last game caused bewilderment among professionals and chess fans. The actions of the Chinese chess player in the decisive segment are extremely suspicious and require a separate investigation by FIDE,” Filatov stated, as reported by a foreign news agency.
The controversy centers on Ding’s critical error in an even endgame on move 55, which gave Gukesh an advantage in a pawn ending. Filatov, an honorary FIDE member, insists that Ding’s defeat “looks deliberate” and has raised doubts over the integrity of the match.
FIDE has yet to issue an official response to Filatov’s request for an investigation. While the chess community debates the accusations, Gukesh’s remarkable achievement remains a historic milestone, cementing his place among the sport’s greats.
At just 18 years old, Gukesh has etched his name in chess history as the youngest-ever World Champion. He clinched the title in Singapore by winning the final game in classical time control—a match that had initially seemed destined for a draw. Gukesh’s accomplishment builds on India’s chess legacy, following five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand, who mentored the young prodigy.
As the chess world awaits clarity on the allegations, the spotlight remains on the young champion, who now carries the torch of Indian chess to new heights.
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