He did it. Gukesh Dommaraju is the guy.
At just 18 years old, the kid from Chennai basically flipped the chess world on its head late in 2024. He didn’t just win; he became the youngest undisputed world champion in history by taking down Ding Liren in Singapore. Honestly, if you haven't been following world chess champion live events lately, you’ve missed one of the biggest generational shifts the game has ever seen.
It wasn't exactly a clean sweep. The match was a gritty, 7.5-6.5 battle. It came down to a wild Game 14 where Ding made a blunder that’ll probably be studied for the next fifty years. Gukesh stayed cold as ice. He didn’t celebrate early. He just finished the job.
The New Era of Gukesh D
Fast forward to right now—January 2026. Gukesh isn't just a "rising star" anymore. He’s the target.
Everyone is trying to figure out if he can hold the crown, especially with a hungry pack of youngsters like Arjun Erigaisi and Praggnanandhaa nipping at his heels. People keep comparing him to Magnus Carlsen, but Gukesh has his own vibe. He's quiet. He's intensely focused. He looks like he’s doing complex calculus in his head while his opponents are just trying to remember their opening prep.
We are currently seeing him in action at the Tata Steel Chess 2026 in Wijk aan Zee. It's the "Wimbledon of Chess." If you want to see the world chess champion live, this is where the magic is happening right now. He’s facing guys like Javokhir Sindarov and Anish Giri in a field that is, quite frankly, the youngest and most aggressive lineup Wijk aan Zee has ever hosted.
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Where to Watch World Chess Champion Live
If you're sitting there wondering how to actually see these games as they happen, you've got a few solid options. You don't need a fancy cable subscription.
- Chess.com/TV: This is the big one. They have expert commentary from people like David Howell and Robert Hess. They break down the engine lines so you don't feel like an idiot when a grandmaster plays a move that looks totally random.
- Lichess: If you prefer a cleaner, "no-nonsense" interface, Lichess is great. You see the moves instantly. No ads. Just pure chess.
- YouTube and Twitch: Streamers like Hikaru Nakamura or the ChessBase India crew often do live watch parties. It's a lot more conversational and fun than the official broadcasts.
Watching a world chess champion live is kind of a unique experience. It’s not like basketball where things happen every second. Sometimes a guy will sit there for 20 minutes staring at a pawn. You have to appreciate the tension. It's about the psychological warfare happening across the board.
The Road to Cyprus: The 2026 Candidates
While Gukesh is enjoying his time at the top, the rest of the world is fighting for a chance to take him down. The next big milestone is the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament.
It's happening in Cyprus this year. From March 28 to April 16. Eight players. One winner. That winner gets to challenge Gukesh for the title later in 2026.
The lineup is basically a "who's who" of modern chess:
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- Fabiano Caruana: The veteran who never seems to go away.
- Hikaru Nakamura: The king of speed chess who is finally taking the classical crown seriously.
- R Praggnanandhaa: Gukesh's long-time rival and friend.
- Wei Yi: The Chinese powerhouse who has been on a tear lately.
There’s a bit of drama this cycle, too. Ding Liren, the former champ, didn't get an automatic spot back in. FIDE changed the rules. You have to earn your way in through the Circuit or the World Cup now. It's brutal. It’s fair. It’s making every single tournament feel like a life-or-death struggle for these guys.
Why Magnus Still Looms Large
You can't talk about the world champion without mentioning Magnus Carlsen. Even though he gave up the title because he was bored of the 14-game classical format, he’s still the highest-rated player on the planet.
Magnus is currently dominating the "Freestyle Chess" world. FIDE just announced the first official Freestyle Chess World Championship for February 2026 in Germany. It’s basically Chess960 (Fischer Random), where the starting positions are randomized.
So, we kind of have a split world. Gukesh is the king of Classical chess. Magnus is the king of everything else. It creates this weird "shadow champion" dynamic that keeps the fans arguing on Reddit all day. Honestly, it’s great for the sport. It adds a layer of complexity that wasn't there when one person dominated every single format.
Tips for Following Live Chess Like a Pro
If you’re new to following world chess champion live feeds, it can be overwhelming. The screens are covered in numbers, "eval bars," and red arrows. Here is how you actually enjoy it:
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- Ignore the engine for a bit. Seriously. If the computer says $+0.4$, it doesn't mean the person with White is winning. It means they have a tiny edge. To a human, that position is probably just a draw.
- Watch the clock. This is where the drama happens. When a player has 2 minutes left to make 5 moves, that’s when the blunders happen. That’s when the "boring" game becomes a thriller.
- Follow the press conferences. After the game, the players sit down and explain what they were thinking. It’s the only time you get to see behind the curtain. Gukesh is surprisingly candid in these.
What Happens Next?
The 2026 season is packed. After Tata Steel, we head into the Freestyle World Championship in February, and then the massive Candidates tournament in Cyprus in March.
By May, we will know exactly who Gukesh has to face to keep his title. The venue for the 2026 World Championship match hasn't been picked yet, but rumors are swirling about a return to India or potentially a high-profile European city.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, start tracking the FIDE Circuit points. It tells you who is actually playing the best chess over the long haul, not just who had one lucky week.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Bookmark the FIDE Calendar: Check the official dates for the Candidates 2026 in Cyprus (March 28 – April 16).
- Download the Chess24 or Chess.com App: Set notifications for "Gukesh D" so you get an alert whenever the world chess champion live games start.
- Study the 2024 Match: Go back and watch the analysis of Game 14 between Gukesh and Ding. It’s the perfect primer for understanding Gukesh's defensive style before his 2026 title defense.
The king is young, the challengers are fast, and the 2026 season is officially wide open. Grab some coffee, pull up a stream, and watch the moves.