WORLD CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP: The Comeback Kid's Conundrum
In a series of seven consecutive draws between world champion Ding Liren and challenger D Gukesh, the Indian prince seems stuck in a precarious position. With two games remaining, Gukesh is on the cusp of retaining his title but is facing mounting pressure to break the stalemate.
Live updates from Game 13 are crucial as Ding draws nearer to clinching the championship via tiebreaks. While Ding's pattern does hint at him drawing Gukesh towards his favored tiebreaks 'endgame,' what lies beneath the surface of this cerebral war between the Chinese emperor and the Indian prince?
Experts point out that the match is shaping up to be the most human in the classical format, with each player being equal. However, one slip could decide the match. Will Gukesh manage nerves better than his counterpart, or will Ding seize the opportunity to retain his crown despite losing five career games in world championships since 2000?
In WCC history, only Anand (vs Topalov in 2010) and Kasparov (vs Karpov in 1985) have experienced such a sequence – trailing after the first game, equalizing in the third, leading in the 11th, and being forced to draw level. If Gukesh extracts himself from this complex web, he will emerge in prodigious colors as expected.
Will Gukesh bounce back in their final two classical games on Wednesday and Thursday? Can Ding manage his nerves better than before, securing a sixth WCC title? The answers are still shrouded in uncertainty, leaving Indian fans with palpable anxiety.
Historic Trends
The last two games of most WCC matches since 2000 have been decisive. Except for Anand's win over Topalov in the 2010 match, the scores were level before the final classical game or the match concluded early.
An expert observer noted that losing five games could be a tipping point for Ding. Before the 2000 and 2004 matches with Leko and 2008 against Anand, each had lost four games before retaining their titles. While Magnus Carlsen lost only two of his WCC games, he eventually forfeited his right to compete.
The Story So Far
As it stands, Ding trails Gukesh in scores through four decisive games for the world challenger that trailed after the first game, equalized in the third, led again in the 11th and was forced to draw level. The sequence bears resemblance to Kramnik's winning campaign in 2004 against Kasparov and Anand's comeback in the 2010 match.
Ding has played a phenomenal series of rapid games, striking back with victories at game 9 and game 10 after trailing. In contrast, Topalov had a similar sequence of wins in the 2006 WCC match before eventually losing to the relentless Kasparov campaign.
Now Gukesh faces off against his foe in Game 13: Can he defy all odds and defy expectations?