Just one more step stands between victory and defeat, as the defending champion Ding Liren faces a crucial match against the young Indian challenger D Gukesh in the World Chess Championship.
In Game 13, Ding managed to fight back and secure a tense draw, leaving the score tied at 6.5 points each, with one final Classical Game set to take place tomorrow.
After a brilliant win in the previous match, Ding was quickly put on the defensive as Gukesh opened with an unexpected sequence that derailed Ding’s preparation, leading to a contest of pure intuition and skill.
Gukesh initiated the game with a traditional e4 opening, while Ding responded with the French defense. However, the game quickly spiraled into unknown territory within the first few moves, as Gukesh surprised everyone with an unprecedented position.
Remarkably, the masters’ database had no record of any prior games after Gukesh’s 8th move: 8 Be3, which forced both players into uncharted territory and showcased Gukesh’s innovative style.
Ding, reverting to his previous tendencies, found himself falling behind on the clock, spending almost 50 minutes in the opening and leaving himself with less than an hour by the time they reached the 13th move. As Gukesh continued to apply pressure with his unique opening moves, Ding managed to counter effectively, which brought their clock times back to even.
The game remained balanced until Move 24 when Gukesh seized a moment of uncertainty from Ding, executing a clever Bf4 that restricted Ding’s rooks and put him in a tight spot.
What followed was a thrilling middlegame and endgame, with both players exchanging powerful moves while racing against the clock. Despite Gukesh’s relentless attacks, Ding found himself performing at his best with about 4 minutes left, consistently making top moves to enhance his position and pushing the young challenger to the limit until they reached a 30-minute time increment.
The game eventually transitioned to a rook-pawn endgame, with Ding playing catch-up to secure a draw and set the stage for Game 14 against Gukesh.
To win the championship, each player must achieve a victory over the other in the upcoming match. If Game 14 also ends in a draw, a series of Rapid games—specifically four—will determine the champion.
