Gukesh reveals Anand’s valuable advice that inspired him to bounce back in World Championship: ‘I had 11 games…’

Dommaraju Gukesh had made history last year after defeating China’s Ding Liren at the FIDE World Championship in Singapore. Not only did the teenager break Garry Kasparov’s record for the youngest world champion in the process, he also became only the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand to achieve the hallowed feat.

Speaking on the Quest Talk podcast, the Indian Grandmaster revealed how his overconfidence had allowed Ding to win the opening game and had nearly cost him the game in the biggest match of his life.

Gukesh then followed up by revealing how five-time world champion Anand came to his rescue and offered him words of wisdom, which helped clear his mind up and inspired him to a 7.5-6.5 victory in the best-of-14 Classical series.

“My overconfidence in the first World Championship match made me lose. I played a horrible game, and then I kind of woke up from the dream,” Gukesh said on the podcast.

How Anand had found himself in a similar situation

Gukesh would later discuss losing Game 1 against Ding with Anand back in the team hotel, and the latter revealed how he too had lost the opening game of his 2010 World Championship showdown against Bulgarian GM Veselin Topalov.

“I had 11 games to come back. You have 13,” Anand, who had become the first chess Grandmaster from India in 1988, told Gukesh.

It wasn’t just his mentor’s advice that helped the teenager quickly recover from the defeat and bounce and level the scores with a win shortly after. Gukesh revealed how he had taken an entire day off from chess by visiting a theme park, walking on the beach besides other activities.

“That day helped me recharge. I got the mental break I needed,” Gukesh added.

His victory in Singapore sealed what was a magical year for Gukesh, who had also become the youngest champion in the history of the Candidates Tournament in Toronto that year and had also starred in India’s golden sweep at the 45th Olympiad.