Gukesh D secures spot in Candidates Tournament 2024, becomes third Indian to qualify for prestigious event

Vishwanathan Anand was the only Indian wizard to have qualified for Open Candidates prior to 2023.

Gukesh D’s recent qualification for the prestigious Candidates tournament, slated for April 2 to 25 in Toronto, was sealed after Anish Giri missed securing the top spot in the FIDE World Blitz tournament at Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

This significant achievement marks a historic moment in chess history, as three Indian talents—Praggnanandhaa R and Vidit Santosh Gujrathi alongside Dommaraju Gukesh—will partake in the round-robin tournament. The ultimate prize for the winner of the Candidates tournament is the coveted opportunity to challenge China’s Ding Liren in the upcoming World Chess Championship.

After R Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi, D Gukesh has become the 3rd Indian to qualify for the Candidates Tournament 2024!! 🤩♟First time India will have 3️⃣ participants!! 🇮🇳#Chess pic.twitter.com/yijGfZ0Xmx

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) December 30, 2023

Gukesh and Giri were vying for the last slot in the eight-player Candidates event, aiming to secure a chance to challenge the reigning world champion. Giri aimed to secure a top three finish at the World Rapid Championship or win the World Blitz Championship but fell short on both counts. Another Indian contender, Arjun Erigaisi, needed victory at the World Rapid event to bolster his qualifying chances, but it wasn’t to be.

Gukesh secured the final slot in the eight-player field for the Candidates Tournament. Joining him are Ian Nepomniachtchi (reached through the last world chess championship), Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa (earned by securing 2nd place at the FIDE World Cup), Fabiano Caruana (obtained by finishing 3rd at the FIDE World Cup), Nijat Abasov (stepping in for Magnus Carlsen, who opted out despite winning the FIDE World Cup; Abasov secured the spot by finishing 4th at the World Cup).

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Vidit (earned the spot by winning the 2023 Grand Swiss), Hikaru Nakamura (secured the spot by finishing second in the 2023 Grand Swiss), and Alireza Firouzja (secured via the ratings spot).

GM Vaishali Rameshbabu will be seen representing India at the Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024, running parallel to the Open Candidates event.

GM Koneru Humpy is also expected to join R Vaishali, through the highest-rated player in January 2024 FIDE rating list, potentially forming a strong Indian contingent in the tournament. She finished as runner-up in recently concluded Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship 2023.

She is the only Indian to win a silver medal this year at the event. She has previously won gold and bronze in the same event in the year 2019 and 2012 respectively, completing all the medal colors in her cabinet from the event.

With this it would mark presence of five Indians over the Open and Women’s Candidates 2024, marking the peak moment for Indian Chess till date.

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