Candidates Tournament 2024

Gukesh won at 17, becoming the youngest Candidates winner in history. The tournament also featured a dramatic women's Candidates won by Tan Zhongyi.

The Youth Revolution

The 2024 Candidates Tournament in Toronto featured eight players competing in a double-round robin for the right to challenge Ding Liren. The field included three Indians (Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, and Vidit) plus Caruana, Nepomniachtchi, Nakamura, Firouzja, and Abasov.

Gukesh, at 17, was not the favorite. That distinction belonged to Caruana and Nepomniachtchi, both experienced Candidates competitors. But Gukesh played with remarkable maturity, leading from the early rounds and holding his nerve through the tense final games. He finished with 9/14, half a point ahead of Nakamura, Caruana, and Nepomniachtchi.

His victory broke Kasparov's record for youngest Candidates winner by over four years. He went on to defeat Ding Liren in the World Championship to become the youngest World Champion in history at 18.