In a turn of events at the World Chess Championship, challenger D Gukesh of India suffered a setback against defending champion Ding Liren of China. Liren’s victory in the 12th game levelled the match score on Monday.
Gukesh, the 18-year-old prodigy, had held a one-point lead after securing his second win of the match on Sunday, breaking a streak of seven consecutive draws. However, Liren’s win the following day brought the match back to an even keel.
With two games remaining in the 14-round classical time control format, both players are now tied at 6 points each. They are still 1.5 points away from clinching the title.
The final two games are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, following a rest day on Tuesday.
Regardless of the outcome of Wednesday’s game, the match will proceed to the full 14 games. A tiebreaker, consisting of shorter duration games, is likely needed to determine the ultimate winner.
Liren, 32, won the opening game, while Gukesh emerged victorious in the third game. The second game and games four through ten ended in draws.
Liren’s victory in the 12th game marked his first win with the white pieces. Gukesh’s preparation seemed less effective compared to his performance in the previous 11 games.
The game began with an English opening by Liren. Surprisingly, Gukesh opted for a position that led to a reversed Benoni defense.
Gukesh struggled to generate counterplay in the middlegame as Liren played standard developing moves. By the 15th move, Liren held a slight advantage, despite having less time on the clock. A central breakthrough appeared imminent, giving him a spatial advantage.
Gukesh’s 17th move further weakened his position, allowing Liren to achieve the desired central break. Five moves later, another error by Gukesh gave Liren a significant advantage.
Liren’s central pawn advanced to the sixth rank on the 27th move, dealing a near-decisive blow. Gukesh was forced to sacrifice two pawns.
Adding to Gukesh’s troubles, a rook invasion loomed large. The game concluded with a tactical maneuver by Liren, sacrificing a rook to force checkmate. The game ended in 39 moves.
Gukesh’s performance in his final game with the white pieces, after the rest day on Tuesday, will be crucial.
Liren demonstrated his resilience and tenacity. His second victory in the match was more one-sided compared to the other closely contested games.
In the previous World Championship match against Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia, Liren staged multiple comebacks before ultimately claiming the title.