World Chess Championship: D Gukesh back on level terms as Ding Liren loses on time

Published On : 2024-11-28T12:25:30+0530 [ IST ] | Author : Mayur_Tembhare
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Gukesh outplays Liren on time for the first win in Rd3. (Photo by Roslan Rahman/AFP via Getty Images)D Gukeshpunished poor time management, misjudgment and oversight onDing Liren's part for a heart-warming victory to equal

It was a first-ever win for India's 18-year-old challenger over the Chinese rival in standard time control. And it could not have come at a more appropriate time. Gukesh won the third game of the 14-game classical match in Singapore on Wednesday

Ding had struck in the opening game match with black pieces but struggled through the three-hour, 50-minute ordeal Wednesday and finally lost the helpless position on time in which he was piece down (bishop) with additional three pawns (5 vs 2) - not enough in double rook and dark squared bishop

Gukesh's king was also an active piece on f3 square. Ding's clock went to zero seconds remaining after 37 moves the first flagging instance in a World Championship game since Nigel Short lost to Garry Kasparov in the first game of 1993. The players get two hours each to make the first 40 moves without any time increment

The players sitting in a cubicle provided the best visual just before the pivotal 23rd move -Ne2. Gukesh knew that it was a great continuation which would give him Ding's misplaced light squared bishop for two pawns and plenty to play for.

The 32-year-old world No. 23 was barely audible and hardly forthcoming at the post-game press conference. Silent about his dubious move 18...Rh5, he confessed that he "underestimated" his rival's immediate pawn push 19.e4, one that blocked all escape routes to Ding's bishop on c2.

"Feels great and nice, quite happy," Gukesh said seated a few feet away from Ding during the media interaction. "I managed to outplay my opponent. I knew that once I settle in I will get my rhythm back," Gukesh said.

Viswanathan Anandhad described Gukesh's opening advantage as "gold". But he also felt that though Ding negated Black's discomfort it took him about 70 minutes to remember it.

Though Wednesday's game resembled the one between Vladimir Kramnik and Arjun Erigaisi (World Rapid Team 2023 which ended in a draw after 72 moves) until the 13th turn albeit with a slightly different move order it was clear the similarity ended there. For the stage, stakes

In this game Gukesh shifted from 1.e4 to 1.d4 and it transposed to Queen's Gambit Declined, Exchange variation. Neither player castled and Ding got the queen exchange on the ninth move but that didn't quite undermine Gukesh'

Source : Reporters From Sunrise Chronicles

Tags : Earlier , Neither , In , movesquite happy ," gukesh said , Roslan Rahman , Gukeshpunished , He , Black , Both , For ,

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