[Event "World-ch Ding-Gukesh"] [White "Ding,Liren"] [Black "Gukesh,Dommaraju"] [Site "Singapore"] [Round "14"] [Annotator "Markos,Jan"] [Result "0-1"] [Date "2024.12.12"] [WhiteElo "2728"] [BlackElo "2783"] [PlyCount "116"] {[%evp 0,116,58,16,22,10,20,11,-14,5,15,12,-10,0,59,8,29,19,19,11,0,-8,-3,-48,40,7,28,-10,52,1,-11,-18,6,-7,-7,-2,23,-26,41,21,22,37,28,28,28,25,38,39,31,22,22,19,15,-42,-75,-43,-21,-60,-19,-72,-72,-74,-80,-123,-111,-124,-81,-83,-85,-82,-83,-83,-85,-97,-76,-87,-69,-91,-93,-97,-94,-89,-78,-94,-90,-102,-83,-96,-54,-94,-86,-107,-64,-112,-87,-134,-103,-110,-104,-141,-126,-120,-118,-133,-116,-146,-128,-127,-141,-164,-150,-482,-296,-384,-348,-774,-1002,-1011,-1012]} 1. Nf3 { Before this crucial game, the score was level, 6,5:6,5. Many expected that GM Ding will go for a quick draw and then try to get chances in the rapid and blitz games, where GM Gukesh has not been excelling so far. However, Ding decided to try and win this game!} d5 2. g3 c5 {An interesting decision. Black is not afraid of opening the centre, and wants to fight for the central space right from the start. Of course, being a tempo down is more comfortable in a closed position, and therefore I find Gukesh´s decision quite brave. The Indian GM is relying on his excellent calculation skills.} (2... Nf6 {and} )(2... c6 {are more common options.} )3. Bg2 Nc6 4. d4 {A logical choice. Ding wants to play the Gruenfeld with reversed colours and a tempo up. This tempo is rather important and forces Black to be much less ambitious than White usually is in this opening.} e6 5. O-O cxd4 6. Nxd4 Nge7 $5 {So this is what Gukesh and his seconds have prepared for the last game! This move is a very rare sight in tournament practice, and certainly surprised Ding.} (6... Nf6 { and} )(6... Bc5 {are far more common.} )7. c4 {Ding went for the most natural option. However, there are other ways how to try to refute Black´s concept.} ({Very interesting is} 7. Nb3 $5 {trying to keep more pieces on the board and stress the clumsy position of the ...e7-knight.} g6 {was played in the only GM-game encounter on this topic:} (7... Nf5 8. e4 dxe4 9. Nc3 Be7 10. Bxe4 O-O {is also OK for Black, but White can try to create a small edge based on his queenside majority.} )8. c4 (8. e4 Bg7 9. exd5 exd5 {might be a better version of the Isolani for White.} )Bg7 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Nc3 d4 11. Ne4 $13 { was unclear in Garcia-Arencibia, Catalunya 1998. However, creating an isolated pawn is an achievement for a player that wants to play for a win.} )({Another worthwhile try is Ein weiterer lohnender Versuch ist} 7. e4 $5 Nxd4 8. Qxd4 Nc6 9. Qd1 d4 (9... dxe4 $6 10. Bxe4 Be7 11. Qe2 $14 {leaves White with a small edge based on his superior developement and a chance to push his queenside majority.} )10. e5 $1 {A dangerous pawn sacrifice that Black must accept.} Nxe5 11. c3 Bc5 $1 (11... dxc3 $2 12. Qxd8+ Kxd8 13. Rd1+ Ke8 14. Nxc3 $16 {leaves White with a very strong initiative for the pawn.} )12. Qh5 Nd7 $32 {and Black should hold the equality.} )Nxd4 8. Qxd4 Nc6 {[#] Now White´s queen is attacked. Where should Ding place it?} 9. Qd1 {This move is perhaps not objectively bad, but it somehow shows the lack of creativity and willpower. I think that White had two more attractive options.} (9. Qf4 $5 {A seemingly funny move, but Black can not easily make use of the strange position of the queen.} Bd6 (9... dxc4 $4 10. Qxc4 $18 {is simple-minded. Now White has a huge lead in development in an open position.} )(9... e5 10. Qe3 {is possible, but Black is in a constant danger that his overextended centre will crash.} dxc4 (10... d4 $4 11. Bxc6+ bxc6 12. Qxe5+ $18 )11. Nc3 Be6 12. Rd1 (12. Bxc6+ bxc6 13. Qxe5 {is also an interesting try.} )Qa5 13. Bd5 Rd8 14. Qe4 Bxd5 15. Nxd5 $14 )10. Qd2 dxc4 11. Rd1 Be7 12. Qxd8+ Nxd8 13. Nd2 {with a typical Catalan micro-edge.} )({Ding could also have tried} 9. Qd3 $5 {, as als} Ne5 (9... d4 10. e3 Bc5 {is a slightly improved version of the game for White, as his queen is already on d3,} 11. exd4 Bxd4 12. Rd1 e5 13. Be3 Bg4 14. Rd2 $14 )10. Qc2 Nxc4 11. e4 $1 {gives White some initiative,} Be7 12. Nc3 d4 13. Rd1 O-O 14. Nb5 Ne5 15. Bf4 Bf6 16. Nxd4 $14 )d4 $1 {Of course! Being behind in development, Black should keep the position as closed as possible.} 10. e3 Bc5 11. exd4 Bxd4 $1 ({Both} 11... Nxd4 $2 12. b4 $1 {and} )(11... Qxd4 $2 12. Qe2 {would leave Black unstable in the centre.} )12. Nc3 O-O 13. Nb5 Bb6 $6 { Giving up the central space for free. I understand that Gukesh wanted to keep his pair of bishops, but parting with a tempo like this might be very problematic in open positions.} ({Correct was} 13... e5 $1 {, and White would gain the bishop pair, but that is not enough, as Black controls the centre nicely.} 14. Nxd4 exd4 15. Re1 Be6 16. b3 Qd7 17. Bb2 Rad8 18. Qd2 Bh3 19. Bd5 Be6 $11 )14. b3 $6 {This allows the black bishop to return into the centre. White had two better alternatives:} (14. Qe2 $1 e5 (14... a6 $2 15. Rd1 )15. Rd1 Qf6 16. Be3 Nd4 17. Nxd4 exd4 18. Bf4 {was suggested by GM Grivas. After} Bf5 (18... Be6 19. Rac1 (19. Bxb7 d3 20. Qxd3 $6 Bxf2+ 21. Kxf2 $2 Qxb2+ )Rac8 20. Bxb7 d3 21. Qe5 Qxe5 22. Bxe5 Rxc4 23. Rxc4 Bxc4 24. b3 Re8 25. Bf4 Be6 26. Rxd3 {and White is a pawn up.} )19. Qe5 Qxe5 20. Bxe5 Rad8 21. b4 (21. Bxb7 Rfe8 22. Bf4 d3 $16 {is also possible.} )Rfe8 22. Bf4 Re7 23. Re1 $1 $16 {Black is struggling.} )({Also interesting is} 14. Be3 $5 Bxe3 15. fxe3 { , trying to pland a knight on d6 and support it with a3-b4-c5. However, here Black can hold approximate equality after} Bd7 16. Nd6 Rb8 17. a3 b6 18. b4 Ne5 19. Qd4 f6 {[%cal Ye5f7]} )a6 15. Nc3 Bd4 16. Bb2 e5 {Now the bishop has returned back to the centre, and Black is OK.} 17. Qd2 Be6 ({Simpler was} 17... Qa5 {, as mentioned by GM Grivas. Now the knight is pinned for a moment, and thus White´s play is slowed down a bit.} 18. h3 (18. Rad1 $6 Bg4 $1 )Be6 19. Rfd1 Rad8 20. Nd5 Bxd5 21. Bxd5 Qxd2 22. Rxd2 Rd7 {should be just fine for Black.} )18. Nd5 b5 $5 {Seems to be risky, but Gukesh calculated well all the consequences.} 19. cxb5 ({Ding should have tried} 19. Bxd4 Nxd4 20. f4 bxc4 21. bxc4 Rc8 22. Rac1 f6 {, but Black holds approximate equality.} (22... Qd6 23. fxe5 Qc5 {is also possible, but who wants to part with a pawn in such an important game?} ))axb5 20. Nf4 {After the knight has lost the footing in the centre, simplifications are the best option for the World Champion.} exf4 21. Bxc6 Bxb2 22. Qxb2 Rb8 23. Rfd1 Qb6 24. Bf3 ({If White wants to draw the game safely, perhaps it is easier to exchange the bishops . As we will see later in the game, the presence of both rooks and bishops made it more difficult for GM Ding to hold the endgame.} 24. Bd5 $11 Bg4 25. Rd3 {leaves the white bishop in a dominant position.} )fxg3 25. hxg3 b4 26. a4 { Again, Ding goes for simplification. However, taking into account that Black can´t really use the a-file, as the a8-square is inaccessible for his rooks, White could have played} (26. Rd4 {[%cal Ya1d1,Yd1d2] , placing his rooks on the dark squares on the d-file, attacking b4-pawn in the process. I dont think there is much Black can do against such a centralised white army.} )bxa3 27. Rxa3 g6 28. Qd4 Qb5 29. b4 $2 {Although objectively the move is OK, and no engine would lose the resulting endgame, it is wrong from the psychological point of view. White parts with a pawn that could have been held easily. Why? It is a clear sign that Ding was tired and stresed and simply wanted the game to end peacefully as soon as possible. This strategy is going to backfire.} (29. Rd3 {is good enough.} )Qxb4 30. Qxb4 Rxb4 31. Ra8 Rxa8 32. Bxa8 g5 { In the resulting endgame White draws super easily if he exchanges either bishops or rooks. However, he should not exchange both, as the pawn endgame is usually lost.} 33. Bd5 Bf5 34. Rc1 Kg7 35. Rc7 Bg6 36. Rc4 Rb1+ 37. Kg2 Re1 38. Rb4 ({Safer is perhaps} 38. g4 {(Grivas). White gains space and expects a pair of pawns to be exchanged, getting closer to the draw. (Grivas).} )h5 39. Ra4 Re5 40. Bf3 Kh6 41. Kg1 Re6 42. Rc4 g4 43. Bd5 Rd6 44. Bb7 Kg5 45. f3 { Getting a pair of pawns off the board.} f5 46. fxg4 hxg4 47. Rb4 Bf7 48. Kf2 Rd2+ 49. Kg1 Kf6 50. Rb6+ Kg5 51. Rb4 Be6 52. Ra4 Rb2 53. Ba8 ({As we will soon see,} 53. Bg2 {is more circumspect.} )Kf6 54. Rf4 Ke5 {This position is about to become an iconic moment of the entire match. The tired World Champion forgot for a moment that his a8-bishop is cornered, and offered an exchange of the rooks.} 55. Rf2 $4 {After this mistake, the live studio of ChessBase India has turned into a chaos of loud cries, applause and cheers. Now Black wins, because he is able to exchange not only the rooks, but also the bishops. Of course, a bishop endgame would be easily drawn. With a king on f2, White would wait for ... f5-f4, exchange the pawn and move the king to g1. However, the pawn endgame is lost, as White´s king can´t maintain the opposition. How can such a mistake happen? It seems so improbable that even some strong players started to conspire, stating that Ding lost on purpose. I dont believe in this for a single second. When a wise person errs, he/she ofter errs in a silly way. I think that the best explanation was given by GM Giri: "When a computer is overheated, it shuts down to protect itself. And similarly, when there is too much stress and fatigue going on for the brain, the brain shuts down in order to protect itself." And this is what happened to Ding. Despite all his efforts, his brain simply betrayed him, and stopped working for a moment.} ({Many annotators stated that} 55. Ra4 {(or another waiting move) would be a simple draw. Well, it is a draw, but not entirely simple. At least not for a tired player after 13 previous games and several hours of play. Black has a plan: he should try to plant his bishop to e4, forcing the exchange (White can´t tolerate such a strong bishop) and thus the creation of a passed pawn.} Ba2 56. Bg2 Bb1 57. Rf4 {White should perhaps keep the rook on f4, in order to be able to take the g4-pawn after ...Bb1-e4.} Be4 58. Bxe4 fxe4 59. Rxg4 Kd4 60. Kf1 Kd3 61. Rg8 Rb1+ 62. Kg2 e3 63. Rd8+ $1 { Only this move draws. Does that sound like a simple draw to you?} Ke2 64. g4 Ke1 65. Re8 {Forcing matters.} e2 66. Kf3 Rb3+ 67. Kf4 Kf2 68. Rxe2+ {Again, the only drawing move.} (68. g5 $2 Rf3+ 69. Kg4 Re3 {Black´s task is simple.} )Kxe2 69. g5 {White´s king shoulders his counterpart.} )Rxf2 56. Kxf2 Bd5 57. Bxd5 Kxd5 58. Ke3 {White should have tried his last feeble chance and play} (58. Ke1 $1 {, as now only} Ke5 $1 {wins, keeping the distant opposition.} (58... Kd4 59. Kd2 $11 )(58... Ke4 59. Ke2 $11 )(58... Kc4 59. Ke2 $11 )59. Kd1 (59. Kf1 Kd4 $1 60. Ke2 Ke4 61. Kf2 Kd3 {and wins.} )f4 $19 )Ke5 {We should pay respect to GM Ding. Despite his non-optimal form, he was able to put a lot of resistance against his brilliant opponent, saving several games in an almost Houdini manner. However, in the end it was not quite enough. And so the chess world has to part with a noble World Champion that always behaved as a humble person and a true gentleman. And we should welcome the new king of the chess world, GM Gukesh! His achievement is exceptional, being 18 and being a World Champion is simply something astonishing. The strange thing is that Gukesh still has a lot of room to improve, and will improve for sure. I am expecting him to reign the chess world for a long time, perhaps a decade. Or more.} 0-1