Indian chess prodigy Grandmaster D Gukesh won the 2023 Junior Speed Chess Championship on Monday, beating compatriot GM Raunak Sadhwani in the final by seven points.
The world No 13 raked up a handsome $21,582 prize for his 17.5-10.5 win.
The win for the 17-year-old came after he had been trailing in the initial games of the final.
“At the start in time scrambles, I couldn’t get my mind to think fast, and it was trouble warming up,” he told Chess.com.
“Maybe I have to play a few games before the match starts and just go with the flow.
“I started with a loss, a draw, and then a loss, but I was still quite confident. It’s a long match. There are so many games to play. I knew that I would get my chances, and I just have to find my flow. Once I did, it was quite smooth.”
Incidentally, Gukesh revealed that speed chess is not known to be his forte.
“I’m more known to be a slow player, a classical player, but I’ve recently started working on faster time controls as well,” he was quoted by Chess24.com.
“My calculation (has been) my main strength for a few years. I really…
Read more