Ding Liren of China smiling as he speaks after his victory at the FIDE World Chess Championship in Astana, Kazakhstan, Sunday, April 30, 2023. Ding Liren of China defeated Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia in a thrilling final. He won the World Championship title from Magnus Carlsen of Norway. , Photo Credit: AP
Chess has got a new world champion. China’s Ding Liren ascended to the throne after defeating his Russian rival Ian Nepomniachtchi in the fourth tie-breaker game here on Sunday.
Ding, however, may not be able to claim that he is the undisputed world champion. This World Championship cycle did not include Magnus Carlsen, the world’s best player, by some margin, and the winner of the previous five World Championships.
After Carlsen decided to withdraw from the World Championship match against Nepomniachtchi, Ding got his chance. The Chinese athlete had finished runner-up behind Russia at the Candidates tournament last year.
When Carlsen withdrew тАУ for lack of motivation тАУ the world chess governing body decided to organize 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 started on 9th April in the capital of Kazakhstan, was exciting.
After the opening game was drawn, Nepomniachtchi drew first blood and won the second. Now Ding had to catch up. He would do so in remarkable fashion over the rest of the game. He tied for the last time in the 12th game and the next two were drawn.
Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia congratulates winner Ding Liren of China during the tiebreaker of the FIDE World Chess Championship in Astana, Kazakhstan, Sunday, April 30, 2023. Ding Liren of China defeated Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia in a thrilling final. He won the World Championship title from Magnus Carlsen of Norway. , Photo Credit: AP
Tie breaker (rapid) had to be played when the score was tied at 7-7. The first three games were drawn and Ding won the fourth, becoming China’s first world chess champion in the open category.
Now China holds the world title among both men and women (Xu Wenjun).