May 29th 2024.
Exciting news from the world of chess! India has officially submitted a bid to host the highly-anticipated World Chess Championship match between 17-year-old prodigy D Gukesh and defending champion Ding Liren of China. This much-awaited clash is set to take place between November 20 and December 15 in Chennai, provided India wins the hosting rights.
Gukesh made history last month by becoming the youngest-ever challenger for the world title after winning the Candidates Tournament. He will now have the chance to dethrone Liren, but only if India secures the bid. The Tamil Nadu government has submitted the bid on behalf of the country, and FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky has confirmed its receipt.
While no other bids have been received so far, the deadline to enter the race is May 31. It is rumored that Singapore may also compete with India, but nothing has been confirmed yet. The FIDE Council will have a meeting next week to discuss and decide on the hosting rights after the deadline ends.
If the All India Chess Federation (AICF) is successful in securing the bid, they will have to pay a whopping sum of Rs 71 crore. FIDE has set the criteria for the prospective bidder, which includes a budget of Rs 8.5 million and a facilitation fee of $1.1 million. The tournament will run for 25 days, and the regulations will be finalized by July 1. The total prize money awarded by FIDE is expected to be around $2.5 million, an increase from the $2 million in 2023.
Gukesh's remarkable achievement at the Candidates has reignited interest in the game of chess. The young player from Chennai has been mentored by the legendary Viswanathan Anand, a five-time world champion. Gukesh surpassed Russian great Garry Kasparov's 40-year-old record to become the youngest-ever Candidates champion. Kasparov was 20 when he qualified in 1984 to face his compatriot Anatoly Karpov.
India has previously hosted the World Chess Championship in 2000 and 2013. In 2000, Anand claimed his first of five world titles by winning the tournament-style event with 100 players. He defeated Alexei Shirov in the final. In 2013, Anand faced Norwegian challenger Magnus Carlsen but lost the title.
All eyes are now on India as we eagerly await the decision on the hosting rights for the 2024 edition of the World Chess Championship. With a talented young player like Gukesh and the guidance of Anand, India is ready to take on the world stage once again. Let's hope for the best and keep our fingers crossed for a thrilling match in Chennai later this year.
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