Following his recent triumph in the World Chess Championship, D Gukesh has opted to forgo participation in the current FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship, choosing instead to take a break from competitive chess. As the youngest world chess champion in history, he has been engaged in various congratulatory events and interviews. During one such interview, Gukesh addressed the criticisms leveled at him by Magnus Carlsen, as well as the rationale behind the Indian grandmaster's public challenge to the Norwegian player.

At just 18 years of age, Gukesh secured the prestigious title by defeating the reigning champion, Ding Liren, in Singapore. His qualification for this championship stemmed from his victory in the Candidates Tournament, where he faced Liren in a tense battle that culminated in a decisive 14th game. Although Liren appeared to be steering the match towards a tie-breaker, a significant error on his 55th move led to his resignation, marking a historic achievement for Gukesh. In contrast, Carlsen has minimized the significance of Gukesh's victory, criticizing the match's quality and labeling the classical chess format as an inadequate means of determining the world's best player.

In the aftermath of his victory, Gukesh publicly stated that he does not consider himself the best player globally and extended a challenge to Carlsen. However, Carlsen has already expressed his unwillingness to contest Gukesh for the World Championship title. In explaining his challenge to Carlsen, Gukesh subtly criticized Carlsen's reluctance to participate, asserting that "it's not the fault of other players."

In an interview with India Today, Gukesh remarked, “It was a bit of both. At that point, I was being honest. It was clear that while the match was between two of the best players in the world, it was not a decider on who is the best. Some players believe that it should be. But when the best player doesn’t want to play, it’s not the fault of other players. As a chess fan, I’d love to see Magnus back.”

D Gukesh's brutal response to Magnus Carlsen's criticism

In response to inquiries regarding Carlsen's critique, he candidly stated, “I was aware that Magnus was analyzing the games using the TakeTakeTake app. Some members of my team were eavesdropping and gleaned valuable insights from it. While critics have valid points, I believe my age makes it easier for me to become motivated, and I am determined to prove them wrong. Throughout my career, I have found that criticism serves as a significant source of inspiration. I am convinced that no one can critique me as harshly as I do myself.”

Gukesh is scheduled to return to competitive play next year, where he will face the legendary Indian player and his idol, Viswanathan Anand, along with multiple matches against Carlsen and Arjun Erigaisi.

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