Former world chess champion Vladimir Kramnik has issued a sharp critique of the recent World Chess Championship results, following the remarkable victory of 18-year-old D Gukesh over the reigning champion Ding Liren in the 14th game. Gukesh's win not only granted him the title of world champion but also established him as the youngest player ever to achieve this feat, breaking Garry Kasparov's long-standing record from 1985.

Despite Gukesh's historic accomplishment, Kramnik, recognized for his candid opinions, expressed dissatisfaction with the way the championship concluded, particularly highlighting the blunder that led to Ding's loss of the title.

After Gukesh clinched the championship with a final score of 7.5-6.5, Kramnik took to social media to voice his disappointment, declaring it "the End of chess as we know it."

Kramnik further characterized Ding’s error as “childish,” asserting, “Never yet has a World Championship title been determined by such a childish blunder.”

The critical mistake, which transpired in the final game after five hours of intense competition, ultimately proved to be pivotal, resulting in Ding losing both the match and his World Championship title.

Kramnik's observations extended beyond just Game 14. Earlier in the tournament, he expressed his apprehensions regarding the overall standard of play exhibited by the two competitors.

Following Game 6, he expressed his disappointment, stating, "To be honest, I found today’s game quite unsatisfactory. Even Game 5 did not reach a particularly high standard, but today’s performance was truly — for professionals — subpar from both players. It is a very disappointing level of play."

Kramnik criticized both competitors for what he perceived as a fundamental misunderstanding of essential strategic principles, remarking, “It was an unusual game. Both players were committing error after error, particularly strategic blunders. It seemed as though they lacked an understanding of the position.” His dissatisfaction persisted as he added, “Perhaps I am old-fashioned, but this is quite fundamental! Naturally, they are both exceptional players and outstanding calculators. Their calculation skills are remarkable.”

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