World Chess Championship: ninth Recreation Between D Gukesh And Ding Liren Ends In Draw

Stalemate continued within the World Chess Championship because the ninth recreation between Indian challenger D Gukesh and defending champion Ding Liren of China led to one more draw to nonetheless stage on factors in Singapore on Thursday. The sixth consecutive draw — and seventh of the match — left each gamers on an an identical tally of 4.5 factors every, nonetheless shy of three factors with a view to win the championship. The 2 gamers signed peace after 54 strikes. Friday is a relaxation day and they’ll resume the battle on Saturday.

Simply 5 extra classical video games are left to be performed within the USD 2.5 million prize cash championship and if a tied outcome occurs after 14 rounds, there will likely be video games beneath sooner time management to find out the winner. The 32-year-old Liren had received the opening recreation whereas the 18-year-old Gukesh had emerged victorious within the third recreation.

The second, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth video games had led to attracts.

The Catalan opening has featured in prime stage video games for a lot of many years now and Gukesh selected it this time to check Liren’s preparation.

The Chinese language but once more sank in to a protracted thought within the opening and located some inventive concepts to maintain the white forces at bay. The primary trade befell on the 14th flip with Gukesh utilizing simply quarter-hour of his allotted two hours within the first time-control whereas Liren had used over 50 minutes.

Gukesh in all probability obtained his solely likelihood to exert some stress on his twentieth flip however the Indian went for what optically regarded higher for white solely to seek out Liren shocking him with some well-disguised tips.

It regarded as if not a lot had slipped however as soon as he was beneath half-hour, the Chinese language got here up with a sequence of right strikes to go away the place stage.

Gukesh used up all his further time and by the twenty third transfer he was really behind Liren by a couple of minutes. One other couple of pawns had modified palms by then together with two minor items making the place simply very near equal.

In counting, Gukesh had an additional pawn to boast off but it surely was evident that it was about to fall quickly. It was time for Gukesh to resolve if he would go for a straightforward draw or nonetheless strive for some unwarranted issues.

After making his twenty fourth transfer, Gukesh was seen watching his rating sheet, a reasonably clear indication that he had come to phrases with what the outcome was going to be.

Liren halted for someday earlier than enjoying the equalizing seize of the additional pawn of white. Gukesh exchanged queens quickly after which a pair of rooks to let the place be only a dead-draw.

The gamers nonetheless needed to full 40 strikes as per guidelines earlier than the purpose could possibly be cut up and all of a sudden Liren began to get formidable though the sport by no means actually left the boundaries of a draw.

A pure rook and pawns endgame was quickly on board and ultimately the gamers modified all the things to be left with naked kings. The sport lasted 54 strikes.

Within the remaining 5 video games, Liren can have white thrice.

The Strikes: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Be7 5.Bg2 d5 6.Nf3 0–0 7.0–0 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. Recreation drawn.