India’s youngest-ever World Chess Championship challenger, D. Gukesh, put forth a determined effort against reigning champion Ding Liren of China in the 13th game of the 2024.
World Chess Championship at Resort World Sentosa, Singapore. However, Ding Liren’s exceptional defensive skills came to the fore, as he successfully held Gukesh to a draw after 69 moves.
Ding Liren survived both time trouble and Gukesh’s advantage. The World Champion found amazing defense to force a draw with black pieces on Wednesday, two days after he won with white pieces. The draw left both players—Gukesh, playing white, and Liren—tied at 6.5 points each, still one point shy of securing the championship. With the score level at 6.5-6.5 after 13 rounds, the title now hinges on the final game.
Ding will have the white pieces for the final game on Thursday. If the championship remains tied after 14 rounds, it will be decided in a tie-break with a shorter time format. If the 14th match ends in another draw on Thursday, resulting in a 7-7 tie, a series of tiebreak games with faster time controls will be played on Friday. This is how Ding won the title last year against Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi.
The 32-year-old Liren won the opening game, while the 18-year-old Gukesh claimed victory in the third game to level the score. The two Grandmasters then played seven consecutive draws before Gukesh broke the deadlock in the 11th game, taking a 6-5 lead. However, Liren drew level in the 12th game with a surprising result. Ding Liren survived both time trouble and Gukesh’s advantage. The World Champion found amazing defense to force a draw with black pieces on Wednesday, two days after he won with white pieces.
Although Ding has been seen as the underdog due to his inconsistent form, he would be considered a slight favorite if the match is decided in rapid or blitz games. The 18-year-old Gukesh, currently ranked fifth in the world, is aiming to break the record for the youngest-ever undisputed World Champion, a title held by Garry Kasparov, who was 22 when he dethroned Anatoly Karpov in their 1985 rematch in Moscow.