FIDE World Chess Championship: Gukesh unable to capitalize on opportunities, records sixth consecutive draw against Ding Liren
Click to start listening
Singapore, Dec 5 (NationPress) India’s promising talent D Gukesh and reigning World Champion Ding Liren from China settled for a thrilling draw in their ninth-round encounter at Resort World Sentosa on Thursday.
This result marked the sixth consecutive draw in their captivating series, keeping the championship tied at 4.5-4.5 after the initial nine rounds.
Gukesh, playing with the white pieces, opened the game using the Catalan Opening, a well-regarded strategy known for its robust structure and central dominance. The Catalan begins with the central pawn advance d4, followed by Black’s knight maneuver to f6.
Both competitors adhered to established theory early in the game, with Gukesh executing c4 and g3, while Ding countered with e6 and a bishop move to b4. By the time they reached move 12, the intensity of the match was palpable. Despite a favorable opening for Gukesh, who had a higher win probability according to the AI-driven chess model Leela Zero, the dynamics of the game began to shift.
The Chinese World Champion, Ding, utilized a significant amount of time during the opening phase, taking 30 minutes longer than Gukesh by move 12. As the game transitioned into the middle phase, both players initiated aggressive captures and exchanges.
In an unexpected turn, Gukesh found himself with a slight edge, while Ding seemed momentarily unsettled by the opening exchanges. Nonetheless, the world champion displayed remarkable resilience, investing almost 19 minutes on a pivotal move and another 18 minutes on the following move. At this stage, Ding was already down 50 minutes on the clock compared to his opponent.
The match quickly evolved into a tactical battle, with both players sacrificing pieces to secure positional advantages. Within just six moves, both Gukesh and Ding had forfeited a pawn, a knight, and a bishop.
At one moment, Ding appeared to be in a precarious situation, with Gukesh pressing on in a bid to gain the upper hand. However, as demonstrated throughout the series, Ding leveraged his defensive skills, skillfully maneuvering out of a tough spot with precise moves.
Gukesh, recognizing the shift in momentum and aware that Ding would have two games with white pieces after the rest day, remained focused and determined to strive for a win. Despite his efforts, the game gradually gravitated toward a draw after 23 moves. After an additional 31 moves, both players concurred to a draw after a total of 54 moves, marking it as the sixth straight draw in their intense championship series.
In his post-game interview, Gukesh reflected on the match, admitting that both he and Ding had overlooked opportunities during the game. “A few missed chances from me, and a few missed chances from him,” he stated. Regardless, he maintained a positive outlook, highlighting that the games had been engaging and captivating. “We’ve played entertaining chess. Five more exciting games to go,” he added, expressing confidence that the championship remains very competitive.
