Gukesh overtaking me in FIDE Rankings is "historic" - Viswanathan Anand

Chess legend Viswanathan Anand hailed 17-year-old Grandmaster D Gukesh's historic achievement of surpassing him as India's highest-rated player in the FIDE rankings. Gukesh's rise signifies the country's ascendancy in the sport, with promising young talents leading the charge.

In a thrilling game that lasted 44 moves, Gukesh demonstrated his prowess, securing victory over Iskandarov. This achievement caught the attention of FIDE, which predicted Gukesh's imminent ascent to the top 10 in the world rankings, making him the highest-rated Indian player.

This also propelled him to the top spot in the live world (FIDE) rankings, dethroning his idol, Viswanathan Anand.

"Obviously, it is a historic day for Indian chess, what Gukesh has achieved. Even though I have been semi-retired for a couple of years, still to lose a spot you have held for 37 years is, well it's historic, I have to admit that," Anand told PTI.

While Anand has been semi-retired for some time, he expressed his delight in witnessing Gukesh's rise to the top 10, regardless of who overtook him. Anand's praise for Gukesh's relentless pursuit of excellence suggests that the young prodigy shows no signs of slowing down, which bodes well for the future of Indian chess.

Supporting and mentoring young talent, Anand takes pride in his association with Gukesh through the Westbridge Anand Chess Academy. The collaboration has proven fruitful, and Anand expressed his joy in contributing to Gukesh's journey to success.

Anand pointed out that Gukesh's next opponent, S. L. Narayanan, has also made it through to the third round, underscoring the depth of talent emerging from India. Alongside him, players like Praggnanandhaa and Nihal Sarin have made remarkable strides, qualifying for the third round of the ongoing World Cup.

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Gukesh enters top 10 in Live FIDE Rankings, surpassing Viswanathan Anand with impressive rating

The anticipation for the official FIDE rating list, set to be released on September 1, is high, with expectations that Gukesh will join the esteemed ranks of the world's top chess players.

His current live rating stands at an impressive 2755.9, while Anand's rating slightly trails at 2754.0. As a result, Gukesh has claimed the coveted position of World No. 9 in the live rankings, while Anand gracefully slips to 10th.

For Viswanathan Anand, a legendary chess figure, this transition marks a significant moment in his illustrious career. Since July 1991, he has held a spot in the world's top 10, maintaining his position as India's top-ranked player in all published lists since January 1987.