Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju faced a tense moment but ultimately secured a surprisingly smooth draw on Saturday in the fifth game of his world championship match against Ding Liren, keeping the $2.5 million contest tied at 2½-2½.
After Ding chose to employ the French Defense (1 e4 e6), Gukesh rapidly transitioned into the drawish Exchange Variation (2 d4 d5 3 exd5 exd5). This choice marked a shift from his typically aggressive style, particularly given that he was playing with the favored white pieces.
The World Chess Championship 2024
The upcoming World Chess Championship 2024 will showcase a thrilling match between defending champion Ding Liren and the promising young talent Gukesh Dommaraju. This best-of-14-games competition will take place at Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore from November 23 to December 15, with an impressive total prize fund of $2.5 million (£1.98 million).
Ding Liren made history last year by becoming China’s first men’s world chess champion after triumphing over Ian Nepomniachtchi in Kazakhstan. However, the 32-year-old has struggled with personal challenges, including depression, limiting him to just 44 classical games since winning the title. Consequently, he enters his first title defense as an underdog.
Meanwhile, Gukesh Dommaraju made headlines by clinching victory at the Candidates tournament in Toronto at just 17, positioning himself as the youngest challenger for the world championship. Now 18, he stands on the brink of potentially breaking Garry Kasparov’s record as the youngest world champion.
The championship format consists of 14 classical games, with players earning one point for a win and half a point for a draw. The first player to reach seven and a half points will be crowned the champion. In the event of a tie after 14 games, tiebreak games featuring faster time controls will be held.
The schedule includes designated rest days, with games commencing at 5 PM local time in Singapore. Detailed regulations for potential tiebreak games are in place to ensure a champion is determined in case of a draw after the classical matches. Should a player accumulate 1½ points or more in the tiebreak segment, they will win the title. If the rapid games end in a tie, a mini-match of two blitz games will follow, each with a three-minute time control and a two-second increment starting from move one. The player who secures 1½ points or more in this mini-match will be declared the champion, and a drawing of lots will determine which player plays with the white pieces.
If the blitz mini-match results in a tie, a single blitz game will be played under the same time controls. The winner of this game will take the championship. If this game is also a draw, another blitz game with reversed colors will occur, continuing until a clear victor is determined.
Players are prohibited from agreeing to a draw before black’s 40th move, except in cases of threefold repetition or stalemate.
Championship Schedule
The schedule for the championship matches is as follows:
- Opening ceremony and technical meeting on Sat, Nov 23
- Rest day on Sun, Nov 24
- Game 1 on Mon, Nov 25
- Game 2 on Tue, Nov 26
- Game 3 on Wed, Nov 27
- Rest day on Thu, Nov 28
- Game 4 on Fri, Nov 29
- Game 5 on Sat, Nov 30
- Game 6 on Sun, Dec 1
- Rest day on Mon, Dec 2
- Game 7 on Tue, Dec 3
- Game 8 on Wed, Dec 4
- Game 9 on Thu, Dec 5
- Rest day on Fri, Dec 6
- Game 10 on Sat, Dec 7
- Game 11 on Sun, Dec 8
- Game 12 on Mon, Dec 9
- Rest day on Tue, Dec 10
- Game 13 on Wed, Dec 11
- Game 14 on Thu, Dec 12
- Tiebreaks (if necessary) on Fri, Dec 13
- Closing ceremony on Sat, Dec 14
All games will begin at 5 PM local time in Singapore, which corresponds to 2:30 PM in India, 9 AM in London, and 4 AM in New York.
In a recent encounter, the queens were exchanged early, leading to a simplified position by the tenth move. Both competitors executed strategic maneuvers to test each other’s defenses, with one side launching an aggressive kingside assault, which was skillfully countered by precise defensive moves from the opponent. The middlegame featured a critical move from one player, but a subsequent miscalculation allowed the other to gain a significant foothold. The game ultimately concluded in a draw by repetition after three hours of intense competition.
While a draw is not inherently negative, it was noted that one player’s hasty decision-making may have cost them the chance to capitalize on their opponent’s errors. The player expressed a commitment to improving and seizing opportunities in future matches.
The world championship match has been rife with unexpected twists, showcasing remarkable wins and draws. The competition promises to deliver more thrilling moments as it progresses toward the crowning of a new world champion. With both contestants eager for victory and the esteemed title on the line, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
