Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Hindu
The Hindu
Sport
P.K. Ajith Kumar

Ding Liren crowned king of World chess after beating Nepomniachtchi in the fourth tie-breaker

Chess has a new World champion. Ding Liren of China ascended to the throne after defeating his Russian rival Ian Nepomniachtchi in the fourth tie-breaker game here on Sunday.

Ding, however, may not quite be able to claim that he is the undisputed World champion. For, this World championship cycle did not include Magnus Carlsen, the world’s best player, by some margin, and winner of the last five World championships.

It was after Carlsen decided to withdraw from the World championship match, against Nepomniachtchi, that Ding got the opportunity. The Chinese had finished runner-up, behind the Russian, in the Candidates tournament last year.

When Carlsen withdrew — for lack of motivation — the world chess governing body decided to conduct a World title match between the top two players of the Candidates, Nepomniachtchi and Ding, ranked second and third respectively in the world. The match, which got underway in the Kazakhstan capital on April 9, turned out to be a nail-biting affair.

After the opening game was drawn, it was Nepomniachtchi who drew first blood, winning the second. Now Ding had to do the catching up. He would do that in remarkable fashion in the remaining games. He equalised for one last time in the 12th game and the next two were drawn.

Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi, right, congratulates China’s winner Ding Liren during their tiebreaker of FIDE World Chess Championship in Astana, Kazakhstan, Sunday, April 30, 2023. China’s Ding Liren beat Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi in a thrilling finale. He takes over the world championship title from Norway’s Magnus Carlsen. (Source: AP)

With the score tied at 7-7, the tie-breakers (rapid) had to be played. The first three games were drawn and Ding won the fourth, to become China’s first World chess champion in the open category.

Now China holds the World title among both men and women (Ju Wenjun).

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.