Chess Championships 2023 Game 14 Highlights, (Ian Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren): Ian Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren settled for a draw after a six and a half marathon clash that ended in an exciting endgame. They clash again in a tiebreaker on Sunday to decide the next world champion.
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Ding played with the white pieces and for a while Nepo looked like pressing home and advantage. But Ding defended stoutly and managed to force the draw. Scroll down to catch all the action,
Grandmaster Pravin Thipsay has been analysing games of the World Chess Championship for The Indian Express. You can read his analysis of Game 13, Game 12, Game 11, Game 10, Game 9, Game 8, Game 7, Game 6, Game 5, Game 4, Game 3, Game 2, and Game 1.
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Previous World Championships contenders had a very strong strategic base. That's missing here completely. Ding’s tactics are good. Nepo’s strategic knowledge is good but both these players lack that in-depth knowledge. With just the final game to go in the World Chess Championship, it’s advantage Ding Liren as his opponent Ian Nepomniachtchi failed to win with White pieces in Game 13. (Read Full Story)
In the first rapid game on Sunday, the Chinese GM has drawn white.
There will be four rapid games with time control of 25 minutes and a 10-second increment per move from the first move.
If both players are tied after four rapid games, two blitz games will be played with time control of five minutes, and a three-second increment per move starting from move one.
If after two such blitz games, the results are tied, additional two blitz games shall be played. The same time control shall apply: five minutes, and a three-second increment per move starting from move one.
Essentially, if the four rapid games cannot help get us the 17th world champion, we'll have two more blitz games and then two more blitz games if necessary.
In case, we still have a tie on our hands, there will be a single blitz game with a time control of three minutes plus two seconds increment from move 1. This will continue until someone wins (or utterly throws in the towel).
There will be a drawing of lots to decide who plays white.
Four games of 25+10. If that's tied: two games of 5+3. Then there will be another 2 games of 5+3. Then they start playing one game. Whoever wins becomes the 17th world champion.
The longest game o the 2023 World Chess Championship ends in a draw, after six hours and 40 minutes. Not to mention, 90 moves. Nepo and Ding trade pawns. Nothing much left on the board. They shake ends. After a marathon match, it's a DRAW!! There wil be a tiebreaker tomorrow.
Nepo is going to make Ding fight every inch for a draw. It's been six and a half hours and 80 moves. Black has a pawn on a3 aiming to make the final dash, in the line of fire of the white rook. White has a pawn on e5. Nepo probiong every single chance and Ding defending well on each occasion.
Here are all the moves so far:
1 d4 Nf6
2 c4 e6
3 Nc3 Bb4
4 e3 O-O
5 Bd2 d5
6 a3 Be7
7 Nf3 c5
8 dxc5 Bxc5
9 Qc2 dxc4
10 Bxc4 Nbd7
11 Rd1 Be7
12 Ng5 h6
13 h4 Qc7
14 Be2 Rd8
15 Rc1 Nf8
16 Nge4 Nxe4
17 Nxe4 Qxc2
18 Rxc2 Bd7
19 Bb4 Bxb4+
20 axb4 Bc6
21 Nc5 Bxg2
22 Rg1 Bd5
23 e4 Bc6
24 b5 Be8
25 Nxb7 Rd4
26 Rc4 Rd7
27 Nc5 Rc7
28 Rc3 Rac8
29 b4 Nd7
30 Rcg3 Nxc5
31 bxc5 Rxc5
32 Rxg7+ Kf8
33 Bd3 Rd8
34 Ke2 Rc3
35 Rg8+ Ke7
36 R1g3 e5
37 Rh8 Rd6
38 b6 Rxb6
39 Rxe8+ Kxe8
40 Bb5+ Rxb5
41 Rxc3 Kd7
42 Rf3 Ke7
43 Rc3 a5
44 Rc7+ Kf6
45 Rc6+ Kg7
46 Ra6 Rb2+
47 Kf3 Ra2
48 Kg3 h5
49 Ra8 Ra1
50 Kg2 a4
51 Ra5 f6
52 Kf3 a3
53 Ra6 Kf7
54 Ke3 Ke8
55 Ke2 Ke7
56 Kf3 Ra2
57 Ke3 Ra1
58 Ke2 Kf7
59 Kf3 Ra2
60 Ke3 Ke7
61 Kf3 Kd7
62 Rxf6 Rb2
63 Ra6 Rb3+
64 Kg2 Kc7
65 f4 exf4
66 e5 Kb7
67 Ra4 Kc6
68 Ra6+ Kb5
69 Ra7 Kb6
70 Ra8 Kc5
71 Ra6 Kb5
72 Ra7 Kb6
73 Ra8 Kc6
74 Ra6+ Kd7
75 Kf2 Ke7
76 Kg2 Re3
77 Kf2 Rg3
78 Kf1 Rc3
79 Kf2 Re3
80 Kg2 Kd7
Seventy moves in the book. In Game 14. This is their 14th game in 20 days.
'I don't think it's at all guaranteed that Ding will draw this game... White is pretty much on a precipice!' says GM Fabiano Caruana.
After 68 moves, Ding has just over 5 minutes.
After one move less, Nepo has over 34 minutes.
Ding is ahead, in second spot behind Magnus Carlsen, with a rapid rating of 2829. Nepo is seventh with 2761.
It's been almost six hours since this game started. There is too much at stake. Whoever wins is the world champion. If it's a draw there will be a tiebreaker. Nepo trying his best to explore whatever promise is there in the present poition to force a win. Ding defending sturdily, navigating through all the landmines the Russian GM plants. It's a fascinating endgame.
Here are all the 66 moves so far:
1 d4 Nf6
2 c4 e6
3 Nc3 Bb4
4 e3 O-O
5 Bd2 d5
6 a3 Be7
7 Nf3 c5
8 dxc5 Bxc5
9 Qc2 dxc4
10 Bxc4 Nbd7
11 Rd1 Be7
12 Ng5 h6
13 h4 Qc7
14 Be2 Rd8
15 Rc1 Nf8
16 Nge4 Nxe4
17 Nxe4 Qxc2
18 Rxc2 Bd7
19 Bb4 Bxb4+
20 axb4 Bc6
21 Nc5 Bxg2
22 Rg1 Bd5
23 e4 Bc6
24 b5 Be8
25 Nxb7 Rd4
26 Rc4 Rd7
27 Nc5 Rc7
28 Rc3 Rac8
29 b4 Nd7
30 Rcg3 Nxc5
31 bxc5 Rxc5
32 Rxg7+ Kf8
33 Bd3 Rd8
34 Ke2 Rc3
35 Rg8+ Ke7
36 R1g3 e5
37 Rh8 Rd6
38 b6 Rxb6
39 Rxe8+ Kxe8
40 Bb5+ Rxb5
41 Rxc3 Kd7
42 Rf3 Ke7
43 Rc3 a5
44 Rc7+ Kf6
45 Rc6+ Kg7
46 Ra6 Rb2+
47 Kf3 Ra2
48 Kg3 h5
49 Ra8 Ra1
50 Kg2 a4
51 Ra5 f6
52 Kf3 a3
53 Ra6 Kf7
54 Ke3 Ke8
55 Ke2 Ke7
56 Kf3 Ra2
57 Ke3 Ra1
58 Ke2 Kf7
59 Kf3 Ra2
60 Ke3 Ke7
61 Kf3 Kd7
62 Rxf6 Rb2
63 Ra6 Rb3+
64 Kg2 Kc7
65 f4 exf4
66 e5 Kb7
White has only two legal moves now. Ding has to play f4 now.
Nepo gives Ding a prolonged stare, almost like he's trying to read his mind.
Bit of repetition on the board, they reach move 60. Ding gains more time on the clock. He is defending astutely.
So more time added. Here's what the board looks like:
Ding has almost six minutes to make three more moves to beat time control. He seems to be holding this one.
Nepo deep in thought. Do we see a draw now, and a tiebreaker tomorrow?
Even Irina Krush and Daniil Dubov have lost track of what the strategy is at the moment. Here are all the moves so far:
1 d4 Nf6
2 c4 e6
3 Nc3 Bb4
4 e3 O-O
5 Bd2 d5
6 a3 Be7
7 Nf3 c5
8 dxc5 Bxc5
9 Qc2 dxc4
10 Bxc4 Nbd7
11 Rd1 Be7
12 Ng5 h6
13 h4 Qc7
14 Be2 Rd8
15 Rc1 Nf8
16 Nge4 Nxe4
17 Nxe4 Qxc2
18 Rxc2 Bd7
19 Bb4 Bxb4+
20 axb4 Bc6
21 Nc5 Bxg2
22 Rg1 Bd5
23 e4 Bc6
24 b5 Be8
25 Nxb7 Rd4
26 Rc4 Rd7
27 Nc5 Rc7
28 Rc3 Rac8
29 b4 Nd7
30 Rcg3 Nxc5
31 bxc5 Rxc5
32 Rxg7+ Kf8
33 Bd3 Rd8
34 Ke2 Rc3
35 Rg8+ Ke7
36 R1g3 e5
37 Rh8 Rd6
38 b6 Rxb6
39 Rxe8+ Kxe8
40 Bb5+ Rxb5
41 Rxc3 Kd7
42 Rf3 Ke7
43 Rc3 a5
44 Rc7+ Kf6
45 Rc6+ Kg7
46 Ra6 Rb2+
47 Kf3 Ra2
48 Kg3 h5
49 Ra8 Ra1
50 Kg2 a4
51 Ra5 f6
52 Kf3 a3
53 Ra6 Kf7
54 Ke3 Ke8
55 Ke2 Ke7
56 Kf3 Ra2
"The good thing for Ding is that black has too many options. It can look dangerous, but if you calculate a few lines, it is very likely that black will not have an alternative. Havign said that, I have a feeling with smart play black will make this very problematic," says GM Daniil Dubov.
1 d4 Nf6
2 c4 e6
3 Nc3 Bb4
4 e3 O-O
5 Bd2 d5
6 a3 Be7
7 Nf3 c5
8 dxc5 Bxc5
9 Qc2 dxc4
10 Bxc4 Nbd7
11 Rd1 Be7
12 Ng5 h6
13 h4 Qc7
14 Be2 Rd8
15 Rc1 Nf8
16 Nge4 Nxe4
17 Nxe4 Qxc2
18 Rxc2 Bd7
19 Bb4 Bxb4+
20 axb4 Bc6
21 Nc5 Bxg2
22 Rg1 Bd5
23 e4 Bc6
24 b5 Be8
25 Nxb7 Rd4
26 Rc4 Rd7
27 Nc5 Rc7
28 Rc3 Rac8
29 b4 Nd7
30 Rcg3 Nxc5
31 bxc5 Rxc5
32 Rxg7+ Kf8
33 Bd3 Rd8
34 Ke2 Rc3
35 Rg8+ Ke7
36 R1g3 e5
37 Rh8 Rd6
38 b6 Rxb6
39 Rxe8+ Kxe8
40 Bb5+ Rxb5
41 Rxc3 Kd7
42 Rf3 Ke7
43 Rc3 a5
44 Rc7+ Kf6
45 Rc6+ Kg7
46 Ra6 Rb2+
47 Kf3 Ra2
48 Kg3 h5
49 Ra8 Ra1
50 Kg2 a4
51 Ra5 f6
As the Chinese GM contemplates his 50th move, he's now 30 minutes behind Nepo.
Both players have been battling on for 4 and a half hours and they will have to play a gruelling tiebreak tomorrow if the game ends in a draw.
Here are all the moves so far:
1 d4 Nf6
2 c4 e6
3 Nc3 Bb4
4 e3 O-O
5 Bd2 d5
6 a3 Be7
7 Nf3 c5
8 dxc5 Bxc5
9 Qc2 dxc4
10 Bxc4 Nbd7
11 Rd1 Be7
12 Ng5 h6
13 h4 Qc7
14 Be2 Rd8
15 Rc1 Nf8
16 Nge4 Nxe4
17 Nxe4 Qxc2
18 Rxc2 Bd7
19 Bb4 Bxb4+
20 axb4 Bc6
21 Nc5 Bxg2
22 Rg1 Bd5
23 e4 Bc6
24 b5 Be8
25 Nxb7 Rd4
26 Rc4 Rd7
27 Nc5 Rc7
28 Rc3 Rac8
29 b4 Nd7
30 Rcg3 Nxc5
31 bxc5 Rxc5
32 Rxg7+ Kf8
33 Bd3 Rd8
34 Ke2 Rc3
35 Rg8+ Ke7
36 R1g3 e5
37 Rh8 Rd6
38 b6 Rxb6
39 Rxe8+ Kxe8
40 Bb5+ Rxb5
41 Rxc3 Kd7
42 Rf3 Ke7
43 Rc3 a5
44 Rc7+ Kf6
45 Rc6+ Kg7
46 Ra6 Rb2+
47 Kf3 Ra2
1 d4 Nf6
2 c4 e6
3 Nc3 Bb4
4 e3 O-O
5 Bd2 d5
6 a3 Be7
7 Nf3 c5
8 dxc5 Bxc5
9 Qc2 dxc4
10 Bxc4 Nbd7
11 Rd1 Be7
12 Ng5 h6
13 h4 Qc7
14 Be2 Rd8
15 Rc1 Nf8
16 Nge4 Nxe4
17 Nxe4 Qxc2
18 Rxc2 Bd7
19 Bb4 Bxb4+
20 axb4 Bc6
21 Nc5 Bxg2
22 Rg1 Bd5
23 e4 Bc6
24 b5 Be8
25 Nxb7 Rd4
26 Rc4 Rd7
27 Nc5 Rc7
28 Rc3 Rac8
29 b4 Nd7
30 Rcg3 Nxc5
31 bxc5 Rxc5
32 Rxg7+ Kf8
33 Bd3 Rd8
34 Ke2 Rc3
35 Rg8+ Ke7
36 R1g3 e5
37 Rh8 Rd6
38 b6 Rxb6
39 Rxe8+ Kxe8
40 Bb5+ Rxb5
41 Rxc3 Kd7
Both players blitz moves 38 to 41. They go 38. b6 Rxb6 39. Rxe8+ Kxe8 40. Bb5+ Rxb5 41. Rxc3 Kd7..
They have traded a bishop each and a rook each. Suddenly the board is much lighter. Black is up a pawn. But is that enough to force a win? Meanwhile they have gone past the first time control.
GM Daniil Dubov says: "This is now physically uncomfortable for me now to watch this. Honestly. I'm not criticising the players. Clearly there's a lot of pressure. The tension is there. It's great to watch for spectators. It's a quite a fight."
The computer says it's 0.00 again after the Russian GM's 36th move. The machine suggested Rb3 instead.
1 d4 Nf6
2 c4 e6
3 Nc3 Bb4
4 e3 O-O
5 Bd2 d5
6 a3 Be7
7 Nf3 c5
8 dxc5 Bxc5
9 Qc2 dxc4
10 Bxc4 Nbd7
11 Rd1 Be7
12 Ng5 h6
13 h4 Qc7
14 Be2 Rd8
15 Rc1 Nf8
16 Nge4 Nxe4
17 Nxe4 Qxc2
18 Rxc2 Bd7
19 Bb4 Bxb4+
20 axb4 Bc6
21 Nc5 Bxg2
22 Rg1 Bd5
23 e4 Bc6
24 b5 Be8
25 Nxb7 Rd4
26 Rc4 Rd7
27 Nc5 Rc7
28 Rc3 Rac8
29 b4 Nd7
30 Rcg3 Nxc5
31 bxc5 Rxc5
32 Rxg7+ Kf8
33 Bd3 Rd8
34 Ke2 Rc3
GM Daniil Dubov has predicted that we'll have the next world champion within the next 30 minutes!!!!
Ding moved his knight, then did a double take and placed the piece back in the original square... pretty rare to happen in chess, but just shows how much pressure there is today
'That's quite a bad sign for Ding,' says GM Daniil Dubov.
Nepo thinking long on his 24th move. He has still more time left than what Ding has.
1 d4 Nf6
2 c4 e6
3 Nc3 Bb4
4 e3 O-O
5 Bd2 d5
6 a3 Be7
7 Nf3 c5
8 dxc5 Bxc5
9 Qc2 dxc4
10 Bxc4 Nbd7
11 Rd1 Be7
12 Ng5 h6
13 h4 Qc7
14 Be2 Rd8
15 Rc1 Nf8
16 Nge4 Nxe4
17 Nxe4 Qxc2
18 Rxc2 Bd7
19 Bb4 Bxb4+
20 axb4 Bc6
21 Nc5 Bxg2
22 Rg1 Bd5
23 e4 Bc6
After a long think, Ding trailing. And by a lot. And we have a lot of game left.
1 d4 Nf6
2 c4 e6
3 Nc3 Bb4
4 e3 O-O
5 Bd2 d5
6 a3 Be7
7 Nf3 c5
8 dxc5 Bxc5
9 Qc2 dxc4
10 Bxc4 Nbd7
11 Rd1 Be7
12 Ng5 h6
13 h4 Qc7
14 Be2 Rd8
15 Rc1
The Chinese GM now has around 25 minutes less on the clock than his Russian opponent. These situations never seem to end well for Ding.