CM R01: Ding, daring with the Blacks, wins the first round!

25/11/2024 – The Singapore World Chess Championship got off to a flying start with defending champion Ding Liren’s stunning victory over his young challenger Gukesh, who had the White. Believing he could surprise his opponent by opting for the French, it was the Chinese, with his feverish facial expressions, who seemed to suffer in the opening, nearly an hour behind on the clock against the Indian, who seemed more than at ease, until the Blacks’ 10th move. Gradually, as he had warned in a recent interview, Ding Liren gained the upper hand in the middle game. The body language of both players changed dramatically. However, during the press conferenceAt just 18 years of age, Gukesh showed tremendous maturity. The win was Ding’s first classic victory in 304 days, the last coming at the Tata Steel Masters last January, when Ding also beat Gukesh with the Blacks! This is Ding’s second consecutive victory with the Blacks against his challenger! The World Championship promises to be more exciting than expected – scorpions are immortal! Photo: FIDE / Eng Chin An.