CHENNAI: English Grandmaster and commentator David Howell knows what it means to be a prodigy, to be the ‘next big thing.’ Howell, who became the youngest Briton to ever win a GM title in 2007 at 16 – a record he held until 2024 – also knows what comes after. The weight of expectations, the quiet battles away from the board, the test of staying power.
It’s a test D Gukesh now faces. At 18, he has conquered the 64 squares, becoming the youngest-ever world chess champion. But if reaching the top is one thing, staying there is another. With every contender now studying his games, the road ahead will only get tougher.
