New Delhi, Jan 23: In a remarkable achievement, world champion D Gukesh has overtaken compatriot Arjun Erigaisi to claim the title of the highest-ranked Indian chess player, moving up to fourth place in the latest FIDE rankings released on Thursday.
The 18-year-old Gukesh reached this milestone after securing his second victory at the Tata Steel Tournament in Wijk Aan Zee, Netherlands, where he defeated Germany’s Vincent Keymer.
Recently honored with the Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, Gukesh now possesses 2784 rating points, while Erigaisi, who held the top position for an extended period, has fallen to fifth with 2779.5 points.
Magnus Carlsen of Norway remains the undisputed world No.1 with 2832.5 points, followed by Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura from the United States (2802) and his compatriot Fabiano Caruana (2798).
Since clinching the world title against China’s Ding Liren in Singapore in December of last year, Gukesh has shown exceptional performance. He took a brief hiatus from competitive play to participate in celebrations back home and did not compete in the World Rapid and Blitz Championship in New York. However, upon his return, Gukesh has remained undefeated in Wijk Aan Zee, boasting two wins and three draws, with eight rounds still remaining in the tournament. (Agencies)
