Dommaraju Gukesh never-say-die attitude was on full display during the FIDE World Championship in Singapore last month. The 18-year-old rejected multiple offers for a draw from Ding Liren to defeat the Chinese Grandmaster in the decisive 14th and final Classical game, winning the Championship with a 7.5-6.5 scoreline and becoming the youngest world champion in chess history in the process.
Gukesh might not be one to accept an offer for a draw if there exists the slightest possibility of a victory. However, there are times when the Grandmaster from Chennai offers his opponents the chance to share honours despite being in a winning position.
One such instance was when Gukesh faced Siddharth Jagadeesh, Singapore’s youngest and latest Grandmaster, a “mercy draw” in an U-9 Asian Championship match.
Singapore’s youngest and latest Grandmaster, Siddharth Jagadeesh, on Thursday, recalled the time when D. Gukesh offered him a “mercy draw” in an u-9 Asian Championship.
“So, the first place in the tournament wins the Candidate Master title. And a draw secured him the first place. (Even though) he was in a better or winning position, he just offered me a draw and I accepted it. But, I’m sure he could’ve won if he wanted to,” Siddharth told Sportstar after the conclusion of the Chennai Open International Grandmasters Tournament.
Siddharth further revealed that even though he was competing in the Singapore International Open recently, he took time out of his busy schedule to watch the World Championship battle between Gukesh, someone he has known “for a long time”, and Ding.
“So, my game would finish at maybe 7 p.m. or so (Singapore time). And they would be maybe 2-3 hours into their game. And then, I would go and watch,” added Siddharth, who is of the same age as the current world No 5.
After his triumph in the World Championship, Gukesh will next be seen in action at the Tata Steel Chess in Wijk aan Zee in Netherlands starting 17 January.
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