Former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik has made a scathing attack after the 18-year-old D Gukesh pipped holder Ding Liren in Game 14 of the World Chess Championship to become the youngest world champion in history. Kamnik called it an “End of chess,” after Gukesh won the championship in the Game 14.
“No comment. Sad. End of chess as we know it,” Kramnik wrote in one of his post on X.
The 18th world champion is at age 18 four years younger than Garry Kasparov, who had been the youngest world champion since 1985 when he beat Anatoly Karpov.
Gukesh won Thursday’s game with the black pieces after Ding wilted under pressure and blundered in what commentators considered to be a comfortable position, snatching the title with a final score of 7.5-6.5.
With the endgame dragging out into the fifth hour, Ding made a blunder which cost him the game, the match and the crown.
No comment. Sad. End of chess as we know it
— Vladimir Kramnik (@VBkramnik) December 12, 2024
He called Ding’s mistake childish and wrote, “Nevet yet WC title was decided by childish one move blunder.”
Former world champion Kramnik had earlier ranted about the quality of chess played between Gukesh and Liren.
“Frankly, I am very disappointed by today’s game (Game 6). Even Game 5 was not extremely high level, but today it was really — for a professional — it was really weak play from both players. It’s a very disappointing level,” he had said after the Game 6.
“It’s such a strange game. Both players were making mistake after mistake, strategical mistakes. As if they don’t get the sense of the position.
“Maybe I’m old-school but it’s pretty basic! Of course, they’re both great players and great calculators. They calculate fantastically.
“But I expect something a bit more from a world championship match, like ideas! Human play, human concepts! If I want to enjoy chess as just a game of calculation, I would rather watch a world championship of chess engines!”
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