After a match that got off to a flying start, with Ding Liren winning the first game and Gukesh the third, the world championship, bogged down in a series of seven draws, finally got off to a flying start on Sunday. Did the prospect of a tie-break to decide the world title influence the minds of the two players? In any case, this 11the round, while judged to be of poor quality by observers, did provide an exciting confrontation.
Ding Liren first showed signs of weakness, notably in time management, then Gukesh, in turn, lost the thread of his advantage until he himself found himself under pressure. Finally, the 18-year-old Indian challenger, endowed with remarkable mental strength, prevailed, pushing his opponent to the limit. He now leads 6-5 with only three games remaining.
