World Chess Championship: Indian challenger D Gukesh lost to defending champion Ding Liren of China in the 12th game of the World Chess Championship here on Monday, leaving both the scores equal with six points each.
After seven consecutive drawn matches, 18-year-old Gukesh had established a one-point lead over the Chinese player by winning the 11th game on Sunday, but 32-year-old Liren leveled the score in the very next game.
After 12 out of 14 games in the ‘Classical’ format, both players are 1.5 points away from the title. Even after fourteen games, if the result remains tied (seven points each), then the winner will be decided by a ‘Faster Time Control’ match. Liren had won the initial game of this match while Gukesh became the winner of the third game. Eight of its matches have ended in a draw.
With Liren’s victory, it was decided that the winner of the World Championship would be decided in the 14th round or later. This is Liren’s first win with the white pieces. Gukesh’s preparation for this match did not look as good as the previous 11 matches. “I had many opportunities after the initial matches of the championship,” Gukesh said in the press conference after the match. My performance today was obviously bad, but I wouldn’t want to make too much of it. This happens in sports. If you look at the overall matches of the second leg, I think both of us are playing better than in the initial matches.
He said, “The result of six-six is not bad. But I had the lead a day before, so I feel a bit disappointed to lose this match. The score is equal and two games are left. Liren said that his performance in the 12th game of the World Championship has been his best in recent times. “Sometimes I perform very well after losing,” he said. This was a very important 12th game. This is probably my best performance in recent times.
“I just tried to make the best moves today and during the match I realized that I was in a much better position,” Liren said. There was no way left to draw. I kept the pressure on my opponent throughout this game, I did not miss anywhere today.” The Chinese player resorted to the English opening (moving the Wazir’s front pawn two houses) and Gukesh used a similar move (Benoni Defense). Answered this with.
In this match, both the players were on equal footing till 15 moves but after that Gukesh’s position started weakening. Liren was successful in dominating Gukesh despite less time. Liren displayed brilliant strategic skill by sacrificing his Rook and tricked Gukesh, forcing the Indian player to concede defeat after 39 moves.
Wednesday’s game will be very important for Gukesh as it will be his last game in the classical format with white pieces. In the 14th game, Liren will be in a better position than the white pieces. Liren had also won the last World Championship by making a spectacular comeback after falling behind three times against Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi.
