Judit Polgar on World Chess Championship Game 14: ‘Touching to see Gukesh in tears and Ding showing dignity after the loss’ | Chess News

Chess legend Judit Polgar has hailed Ding Liren and Gukesh D for showing after the end of World Chess Championship on Thursday in Singapore.
Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest chess world champion after beating the defending champion Ding Liren of China. Dommaraju, 18, secured 7.5 points against 6.5 of his Chinese rival in the contest, surpassing the achievement of Russia’s Garry Kasparov who won the title at the age of 22.
Judit called the Game 14 an emotional one.
“What an incredible tension, stress level, and mix of thoughts were in the minds of the World Champion, the youngest ever Challenger but the whole world kept their breath what will happen today, will it be the day with a new world chess champion?,” she wrote on X.

#DingGukesh, Round 14 – last gameEmotional one. What an incredible tension, stress level, and mix of thoughts were in the minds of the World Champion, the youngest ever Challenger but the whole world kept their breath what will happen today, will it be the day with a new world… pic.twitter.com/uy6ibd4IC1
— Judit Polgar (@GMJuditPolgar) December 12, 2024
“Will we see an extra day of this tension? There was too much at stake, for some it would be unbearable to live these moments.
“The game started slow with an unpleasant position for Gukesh, then things turned around, #Gukesh was the one who could press in the endgame,” she continued.
Judit says she was also one of those, who thought that the game will end in a draw.
“I am on the other side of the world so I woke up seeing this endgame. I also knew that it was a draw objectively but I was also sure that #Gukesh would press for long, until the last chance.
“Squeeze water out of stone. And suddenly a shocking make was made, the losing move Ding 55. Rf2 … you could see on the screen that Gukesh could not believe his eyes.
“…what had been just happened, could not believe as the simplification to exchange the rooks and the bishops gave him the win which cannot be misplayed…”
Judit Polgar lauded both the players for showing dignity after the match.
“Ding collapsed when he realized what had been done. After the game, it was touching seeing Gukesh, the youngest-ever world champion in his tears. It was also touching seeing #Ding at the press conference: he lost with dignity and commented on what happened.
“The Chapter in Chess Hory Book has opened today having an 18-year-old as the 18th World Chess Champion. Congratulations to Gukesh Dommaraju.”

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