On 22 April, Indian chess prodigy Dommaraju Gukesh made history by becoming the youngest winner of the Candidates Tournament in Toronto, Canada. After three weeks and 14 rounds of intense play, Gukesh clinched the title by holding American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura in the final round, earning nine points and securing his position as the world title challenger.
What's The Prize Money?
The prize money allocated for the champion is 48,000 euros (approximately Rs 42,68,870). Additionally, players receive 3,500 euros (approximately Rs 3,11,305) for every half-point scored.
So how much has Gukesh won? Gukesh's outstanding performance earned him a prize of 48,000 euros. Plus, since he scored 9 points, he gets an additional 63,000 euros (18 times 3500 euros). So, his total winnings amount to 111,000 euros (approximately Rs 98,69,742).
In a feat that surpasses even the legendary Garry Kasparov, Gukesh now holds the title of the youngest-ever champion of the Candidates Tournament, a record previously held by Kasparov since 1984. Hailing from Chennai, Gukesh follows in the footsteps of chess icon Viswanathan Anand as only the second Indian player to triumph in this prestigious competition.
Moreover, Gukesh's remarkable achievement means he will now face off against the defending champion, China's Ding Liren, at the 2024 World Chess Championship.
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