Ding eases to draw, its 4.5-4.5
5th December, 2024 by R R Vasudevan from Singapore
World Champion Ding Liren (China) comfortably held his own with black pieces against Challenger Gukesh Dommaraju (India) in the 9th game of the FIDE World Chess Championship 2024, presented by Google, at the Equarius Hotel Sentosa, Singapore here today. The scores were tied at 4.5 points each with five more rounds to be played. The player who scores 7.5 points or more will win this 14 game match, picking up the better part of the US$2.5 million total prize fund.
Following Anish Giri – Hans Moke Niemann (2024) up to ten moves, the game today saw the world champ playing 10…Bb7 in reply 10.Bc3 by the Indian Grandmaster. Here Niemann differed with 10…Ne4 and went on to beat Giri in 117 moves. On the other hand, Ding took to his usual length of time, but never appeared to be in a spot of bother right through the whole game. It also happened to be one of the games where Team Gukesh was unable to cut much ice with white pieces.
Precise play from start to end by both the players saw the ninth game, a Catalan, ending without a result. Six draws in a row after the third game win for Gukesh overshadows the intense fight that dawned on the board in each of those games. Today the Challenger appeared to give some chances when Ding got allowed to play 20…Rxa2. But a mass liquidation that followed soon after saw only a rook and minor piece remain. The resultant position of four pawns on same side in a Rook Bishop vs Rook Knight appeared to be a dead-draw. And, it turned out to be one with only the bare kings remaining after move 54.
“We have both shown fighting spirit and some entertaining chess” said Challenger Gukesh Dommaraju. World Champion Ding Liren summed it up saying, “I think generally it was a high quality game” substantiating the drawn game. Earlier, Dr Shilpak Ambule, High Commissioner of India to Singapore made the symbolic first move inaugurating 9th world championship game today.
After a day of rest, the 10th game begins at 5 PM Singapore time on Saturday 7th December, 2024, with World Champion Ding Liren making the first move. The match presented by Google, will be broadcast LIVE with expert commentary on the FIDE YouTube Channel.
GM Gukesh Dommaraju (2783) – GM Ding Liren (2728) 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O c6 8. Qc2 Nbd7 9. Rd1 b6 10. Bc3 Bb7 11. Nbd2 Qc7 12. Rac1 Rfd8 13. b4 c5 14. bxc5 bxc5 15. Qb2 Nb6 16. Ba5 dxc4 17. Nxc4 Bxf3 18. Bxb6 axb6 19. Bxf3 Ra6 20. Qb5 Rxa2 21. Nxb6 Qa7 22. Qb1 Rb8 23. dxc5 Ra6 24. Qb5 Bxc5 25. Qxc5 Qxb6 26. Qxb6 Raxb6 27. Rc6 Rxc6 28. Bxc6 g5 29. Kg2 Rb2 30. Kf1 Kg7 31. h3 h5 32. Ra1 Rc2 33. Bb5 Rc5 34. Bd3 Nd7 35. f4 gxf4 36. gxf4 Rc3 37. Kf2 Nc5 38. Ke3 Nxd3 39. exd3 Rc2 40. Kf3 Rd2 41. Ra3 Kg6 42. Rb3 f6 43. Ra3 Kf5 44. Ra5+ e5 45. fxe5 Rxd3+ 46. Ke2 Rxh3 47. exf6+ Kxf6 48. Kf2 h4 49. Kg2 Rg3+ 50. Kh2 Kg6 51. Rb5 Rg5 52. Rxg5+ Kxg5 53. Kh3 Kf6 54. Kxh4 Ke5 1/2-1/2
PICTURE: FIDE (International Chess Federation)
