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Chess: India's Gukesh levels score with white win over Ding

November 27, 2024

Teenage world champion challenger Gukesh Dommaraju has beaten title holder Ding Liren in the third game of their match. This levels the score at 1.5 points apiece after Ding won in round 1.

https://p.dw.com/p/4nUVs
Gukesh Dommaraju and Ding Liren shaking hands
Ding ran out of time after 37 moves, but with a position that also seemed hopelessImage: Seshadri Sukumar/Zuma/dpa/picture alliance

India's 18-year-old rising star Gukesh Dommaraju beat world champion Ding Liren with the white pieces in game 3 of the World Chess Championship in Singapore on Wednesday, leveling the scores again after his surprise defeat in the opening game of the match. 

The two players had drawn in the second game, so now stand on 1.5 points each after three games heading into the first rest day of the match on Thursday.

"It feels great. The last two days I was happy with my play," Gukesh said in the press conference after the relatively quick win in 37 moves. "My play today was even better, I feel good at the board and today I just managed to outplay my opponent which is always nice." 

Time up for Ding in worse position

Wednesday's game ended with the reigning champion from China running out of time late in the main phase of the game. Observers had noticed the time trouble and the likelihood that Ding would not be able to reach move 40 — when both players receive a meaningful extra chunk of time for the late stages of the game — while maintaining a holdable position. 

Gukesh also spent a large portion of his remaining time thinking in the latter phases of the game, but said afterwards that this was a reflection of his confidence in the position as he sought a killer blow. 

"I was pretty confident at that point. I was just thinking about the position at that time, because I knew I should be winning," the Chennai native said. "I wasn't playing for time. I just like to finish it off clean." 

Gukesh staring at Ding Liren, who has his head in his hands, across the board. Singapore, November 25, 2024
Gukesh was piling on the pressure as the players tried to reach move 40 and secure extra timeImage: Then Chih Wey/Xinhua/dpa/picture alliance

Champion's early shock lead neutralized

Gukesh, the youngest world championship challenger in history, fell behind in game 1 — bucking many people's expectations given Ding's severe struggles for form and long pause from playing since becoming world champion. 

"I think it's also understandable since it was my first game at the World Championship," he said. "I was a bit nervous. It's a new setting for me. For example, even Magnus [Carlsen]. In his first WC he wasn't at his best at the start. I think it's a very normal reaction and I was ok with that." 

The youngster, one of a series of rising stars from India, had never beaten Ding in a long-format game prior to Wednesday's win. 

Ding Liren looking across the board at Gukesh during the game in Singapore on November 25, 2024
Two of the first three games have ended up with a winner, which is extremely unusual at the draw-laden top level of chessImage: Seshadri Sukumar/Zuma/picture alliance

What happens next? 

After three consecutive days' play, the contenders have a rest day on Thursday. 

The world championship involves 14 "classical" long time-control matches in all. If any player reaches 7.5 points out of 14, they win and the match is over. 

Should the match end in a 7-7 tie after the 14th and final game on December 12, it would then be decided by a series of shorter-format tie-breakers. 

msh/kb (AFP, dpa, Reuters)