A tense and closely fought chess battle between D Gukesh and Ding Liren has been played out at the World Chess Championship. The outcome is still to play for with one game remaining in the 14 round series. Gukesh, the youngest challenger in history, faces a daunting task: Should Ding win the 14th game he keeps his crown. Should there be a draw it will result in a tiebreaker match to decide the winner — and a Gukesh triumph will lock up the title.
With Ding playing with white pieces, Gukesh has to overcome some pretty tough challenges in the final round. That edge proved to be decisive in the 12th round when Ding won a must-win game. However, Gukesh has not regarded the tone downed much by piece color previously and the pressure of a final game may prove different. Gukesh will become the youngest world champion in history if he wins, but the pressure is immense already.
However, experience and composure under pressure remain in favour of Ding. Last year the reigning champion demonstrated he was tough as being tied down once then then fought back to win the tie break. Additionally, Ding has an advantage as the match goes to a tie break.
Gukesh and even in black moves despite being counter balanced by the odds. The final round will be unique because the outcome hinges on who can best deal with the pressure.
At this stage Ding seems to have a slight edge, but Gukesh’s determination and tactical brilliance keep it open. The last game will very likely be an incredibly close fought decision with the winner being the individual who displays composure and display strategy.
