New Delhi || 08-12-2024
“It was a very difficult game for me. Already on move four, I wasn’t sure if I had made the correct choice”, a visibly sad Ding said today after the game 11 of the Google FIDE World Championship in Singapore.
The 18 year old chess prodigy D Gukesh took a huge step to become the youngest classical chess champion in history. After one of the most exciting games of the match, in which both players spent almost an hour on one single move, he defeated the champion Ding Liren and sets the match score at 6-5 with only three games to go.
The lack of time was decisive. With only seven minutes to go, Ding blundered on move 28, dropping a piece in a one-move combination. Instead of 28…Nb4, giving back his extra pawn with decent drawing chances, he played the losing 28…Qc8 and after 29.Qxc6 had to resign.
After the Game appreciating his team of coaches Gukesh said: “Full congratulations to my team for their effort in the preparation of this opening, which caught my opponent by surprise. Then I did some stupid things, but I am happy I was able to get it back together”
In an attempt to remain positive, Ding Liren recalled the previous match, he managed to make a come back in game twelve “In the last match I made a comeback on the twelfth game, so I am hoping to play well tomorrow”, he said.
Playing with white Gukesh won the game after 29 moves.
Current World Champion Ding Liren, representing China, and challenger Gukesh D, from India, face each other in a fourteen game classical chess match. The player who scores 7.5 points or more will win the match, picking up the better part of the $2.5 million total prize fund.
The first of the fourteen games took place on Monday, 25 November with Gukesh opening with White, which was hosted at the luxurious Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore.
