Smooth draw for Gukesh, 4 games to go
7th December, 2024 by R R Vasudevan from Singapore
Playing with black pieces, Challenger Gukesh Dommaraju (India) hardly broke a sweat in the drawn 10th game of the FIDE World Chess Championship 2024 presented by Google at the Equarius Hotel Sentosa, Singapore here today. Defending his title, World Champion Ding Liren (China) could make very little impression in the London system game that lasted 36 moves. Scores remain tied 5-5 with four more games 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. “I am up for a game with both colors, but with black to get a solid draw like this, it’s obviously a good result,” said the 18-year-old Grandmaster from Chennai. For his part Ding added, “This opening is one of my second’s ideas – apart from this line I had also prepared for the other line”.
The opening followed Ding’s second GM Richard Rapport’s game against GM Levon Aronian (2018) upto ten moves, until Gukesh differed with 10..Nh5. A different reply from Gukesh sent Ding into deep thought. The World Champion then came up with a harmless 11. Bg5 resulting in a flurry of exchanges. The resultant bishop and pawn ending saw the game heading towards yet another draw. White’s unwillingness to push for a win suited black well and for the record, one another game in this world championship went without a result.
Will the “Lion from Madras” roar with his penultimate white, one shall wait and watch when the mystery unravels tomorrow. Margin for error will be less and less with just four games to go. It’s now become a sprint after a marathon and we need an athlete who’d emulate former Olympic champion Emil Zátopek.
The 11th game begins at 5 PM Singapore time Sunday 8th December, 2024, with Challenger Gukesh Dommaraju sitting behind the white pieces. The match presented by Google, will be broadcast LIVE with expert commentary on the FIDE YouTube Channel.
GM Ding Liren (2728) – GM Gukesh Dommaraju (2783) 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Bf4 e6 4. e3 c5 5. Be2 Bd6 6. dxc5 Bxc5 7. c4 O-O 8. O-O Nc6 9. Nc3 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Nh5 11. Bg5 Be7 12. Ne4 Nf6 13. Nxf6+ Bxf6 14. Qxd8 Rxd8 15. Bxf6 gxf6 16. Rfd1 Bd7 17. Rac1 Be8 18. Rxd8 Rxd8 19. Kf1 Kg7 20. a3 f5 21. Ke1 Kf6 22. Be2 Ne7 23. g3 Rc8 24. Rxc8 Nxc8 25. Nd2 Nd6 26. Nc4 Nxc4 27. Bxc4 Bc6 28. f4 b6 29. Kd2 Ke7 30. Kc3 Kd6 31. b4 f6 32. Kd4 h6 33. Bb3 Bb7 34. Bc4 Bc6 35. Bb3 Bb7 36. Bc4 Bc6 1/2-1/2
Picture Courtesy: FIDE (International Chess Federation)
