Gukesh took a decisive step in direction of turning into the 18th world chess champion by forcing Ding Liren to resign in Sport 11 of their title conflict in Singapore on Sunday.
After the 29-move capitulation by the holder, each gamers gave their ideas on how the battle performed out. Gukesh later described the sport as a roller-coaster.
Right here’s how the gamers assessed the motion in their very own phrases:
4 e3 Nf6 and 5 a3 Bg4 (The place Ding spent nearly an hour)
Ding: “Sport 11 was a tough sport for me. By transfer 4, I used to be already questioning if it was the proper transfer. I remembered that after I performed this sport in opposition to B Adhiban in a speedy match. However I forgot what to do with the opposite strikes. Gukesh then performed 5. a3 which got here as a shock. Forty minutes went nowhere in calculating some nonsense variations.”
Gukesh: “I used to be conscious of the sport that he performed with Adhiban. 5.a3 was a brand new transfer that my workforce confirmed me final night time and I actually favored the concept. It’s a uncommon transfer.”
11. g3 (When Gukesh spent an hour)
Gukesh: “I don’t know what I used to be considering at that time. I used to be calculating so many alternative traces. I knew this was barely higher, however I couldn’t determine the precise method… I used to be drifting with all these lengthy traces. I simply acquired actually mad at myself. I used to be additionally getting decrease than him on the clock, however I assumed I ought to take a break now and simply refresh as a result of I wasn’t considering clearly at that second. So I simply went to my lounge, spent a few minutes calming myself down. I simply instructed myself, ‘okay, now I’ve already spoiled the benefit (on the clock), now let me simply make one transfer at a time and never make any extra errors’. After that, I used to be simply making an attempt to play one transfer at a time, simply not shedding on the spot.”
Sport 11 | FIDE World Championship, introduced by Google.
◽️White: Gukesh D 🇮🇳
◾️Black: Ding Liren 🇨🇳
⚔️ End result: 1 – 0
♟ Match rating: 6 – 5 (in favour of Gukesh)
↔️ Sport size: 29 strikes
📖 Opening: Reti Opening
⚙️ Variation: Reversed Blumenfeld Gambit #DingGukesh pic.twitter.com/a3AOwRWOVy— Worldwide Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) December 8, 2024
14.Qf4
Gukesh: “I believe round this level, I used to be already kicking myself actually badly. It was such a standard place after which abruptly my queen was caught on f4 and I didn’t know what to do. I used to be simply kicking myself. I had some issues getting myself again within the sport. I used to be simply making an attempt to make one transfer at a time and never lose on the spot.”
15…g6
Ding: “Once I performed 15.g6, it was a horrible transfer. I missed a4 (Gukesh’s subsequent transfer 16.a4). If I had performed e6 (which the pc confirmed that Ding might have made right here), perhaps the place wouldn’t be so dangerous! After 15.g6, my bishop was clearly out of play. I don’t suppose I’ve any likelihood after that.”
Gukesh: “I used to be shocked with Ding saying he thought he was in hassle after g6. As a result of I assumed I used to be in hassle. Yeah, it was perhaps only a distinction of opinion. Possibly, he was proper. Possibly after 15…g6, I’m already out of hazard. However I definitely didn’t suppose I used to be higher. I used to be simply shocked by (Ding’s evaluation). I believe I is likely to be proper. As a result of this place does not likely look harmful for Black. So, most likely I’m proper.”
INTERACTIVE: Sport 11 between Gukesh and Ding Liren
You may try the transfer by transfer motion from Sport 11 between Gukesh and Ding Liren and likewise play alongside within the interactive beneath
16.a4
Gukesh: “a4 was, I believe, a vital useful resource as a result of at first I simply had no concept what to do on this place. After which I noticed a4. I used to be like, ‘okay, at the least I can play bishop a3, bishop c5 and simply sit tight.’”
21.Na3 and 22.Nc2
Ding: “After 21.Na3, I began to really feel the issue of the sport.
Gukesh: “Till I performed knight to c2 (22.Nc2), I didn’t realise I truly had some possibilities to take over the sport. And after this, the sport went fairly rapidly. Sure, (by this stage), we most likely each had much less time than the variety of strikes we needed to make. So, it was nearly like a blitz sport.”