Grivas on Ding-Gukesh games 7-9

by Efstratios Grivas
12/6/2024 – After the second rest day, three draws followed in the FIDE World Championship 2024, making the match score 4½-4½. D. Gukesh missed good chances to prevail in games seven and eight, while game nine was probably the ‘quietest’ and most ‘correct’ game of the championship. We are entering the dangerous zone, where every mistake counts double, as there are only six games remaining. The general feeling by now is that D. Gukesh has lost more chances to take the lead than his opponent, and he is fighting more (even sometimes unjustifiably) to take the initiative. My takes. | All photos by Maria Emelianova
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Game seven

Games eight and nine

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1.c4 (D)
As usual, a first move deviation... The 'English Opening' is a highly successful opening at club level, simply because the player with the white pieces is aware of transpositions that a cursory glance at Black's options cannot reveal. When building a repertoire against 1.c4, it is important to take into account the fact that White will always have more experience of the general positional themes than Black. 1...e5 2.Nc3 Bb4 Not much to comment here, as both sides have a number of early alternatives at their disposal. But the text is coming to fashion rapidly! 3.Nd5 Be7 (D)
3...a5 , has been tried here: 4.Nf3 d6 5.g3 c6 6.Nxb4 axb4 7.d4?! 7.d3 c5 8.Bg2 Nc6∞ 7...e4 8.Nd2 Nf6 9.Bg2 d5 10.b3 0-0 11.e3 Bf5 Erigaisi,A-Gukesh,D Warsaw 2024. 4.Nf3 The 'main' way to proceed seems to be 4.d4 exd4 5.Bf4 c6 6.Nxe7 Nxe7 7.Qxd4 Steinitz/Potter-Kolisch/Meither London/Vienna Telex 1872 - the first time we encountered this variation. After 4.Nxe7 Qxe7 , it is important to realise that this doesn't give White any real advantage in itself. The earlier Black exchanges a bishop for a knight, the better he can organise his position accordingly. 4...d6 (D)
5.g3 After the initial game of 1872, it took a good number of years, until 1977, before this variation become again a part of the chess fashion opening culture. Relevant here is 5.d4 Nd7 6.e4 Ngf6 7.Bd3 exd4 8.Nxd4 Nc5 9.0-0 Nxd3 10.Qxd3 0-0 11.Nxe7+ Qxe7 12.f3 Yakubboev,N-Deac,B Internet 2024. 5...c6 Black could also think of 5...Nf6 6.Nc3 0-0 7.Bg2 Re8 8.d4 Caruana,F-So,W Saint Louis 2024. 6.Nxe7 The alternative 6.Nc3 f5 7.Bg2 Nf6 8.0-0 0-0 9.d3 , is flexible, but it doesn't seem to give any plus to White. 6...Nxe7 7.Bg2 (D)
7...f6 A logical novelty to 7...0-0 8.0-0 c5 9.b3 Nbc6 10.Bb2 h6 11.e3 Vakhidov,J-Caruana,F Samarkand 2023. Black wishes to protect his e-pawn and build a strong centre with ...d5. 8.0-0 Be6 9.b3 d5 (D)
So, White has the bishop pair and Black a strong centre for the coming rich middlegame. 10.Ba3 0-0 10...dxc4? , would be rather naive after 11.bxc4 Bxc4 12.d4!± . 11.Rc1 a5 (D)
12.Ne1 An interesting way of play. White wishes either to play f4, attaching Black's centre, or regroup his knight to d3-c5. If the position gets an open one, then the bishop pair will dominate. Re8 (D)
13.f4 Maybe a bit early. 13.Nd3 Na6 14.Nc5 Nxc5 15.Bxc5∞ , is a good way of play. Well, L.Ding faced a tough challenge early on as D.Gukesh's preparation left him out of his comfort zone. However, the reigning champion countered with a bold f4 push on move 13, seeking dynamic play in the centre. 13...exf4 14.Rxf4 14.gxf4?! Na6 , would be already nice for Black. 14...dxc4 15.bxc4 Ng6 (D)
Black's strong centre disappeared, but he seems to have more harmoniously placed pieces, with plenty of piece play in the board. 16.Re4 Na6! (D)
The black knight, from a6, can plan to move to b4 in some lines. 17.Nc2 Objectively, 17.Bb2 , should be tried. After Nc5 18.Re3 Bg4 19.Rxe8+ Qxe8 20.Nf3 Rd8 21.Qe1∞ , the position looks like dynamically balanced. 17...Qc7 17...f5! 18.Rd4 Qc7 , should have been tried. 18.Nd4! Bf7 19.d3 Ne5 (D)
20.Nf3?! (D)
White should have tried 20.Qd2 Nb4 21.Rf1∞ . After the text, D.Gukesh had an edge, both on the board and the clock, holding a time advantage of nearly 30 minutes. L.Ding is down to slightly more than a minute a move. This is not good, as he is playing with fire. Just because he saved some bad positions, it doesn't mean this is a good habit in a World Championship against a formidable opponent. 20...Nd7? Returning the favour. Strong was 20...Bg6! 21.Rf4 21.Re3 Ng4 22.Rxe8+ Rxe8 21...Nb4 22.Bxb4 axb4 23.c5 Rxa2 24.Rxb4 Qe7 25.Rc2 Rea8 . 21.Rxe8+ Rxe8 (D)
22.Rb1? White should play 22.Bb2 Qd6 23.Qd2 . A critical moment arose here, when L.Ding's imprecise text move, allowed D.Gukesh to play the powerful coming idea. 22...b5! (D)
This aggressive (and tactical) move created connected ‘passers’ on the queenside, putting the reigning champion under serious pressure. 23.cxb5 Qb6+ 24.Kf1 cxb5 (D)
25.Bb2? A much better way to fight was by 25.Bh3 Ndc5 26.Bxc5 Nxc5 27.Qc2 Ne6 , or 25.Qc2 b4 26.Bb2 Bxa2 27.Ra1 Bd5 28.Qa4 Nac5 29.Qxa5 Qb7 . It would take another miracle for L.Ding to save this game. Proper time management is crucial in a World Championship. One cannot get into time pressure over and over again and expect to do well. It may work in some games but the odds are against you. This is one of the most important lesson I can give to young players. Fix it immediately before it becomes a lifetime bad habit. Many incredible players over the years failed to reach the pinnacle because of poor time management - Susan Polgar. 25...Bxa2 26.Bd4 (D)
26...Nac5? Obviously, D.Gukesh mixed-up his knights! After 26...Ndc5 27.Rc1 Bd5 , it would be difficult for L.Diren to save the game... 27.Rc1 Bb3? (D)
Another poor move. Black had to opt for 27...b4 28.Qc2 b3 . 28.Qe1! Nevertheless, L.Ding showcased remarkable precision in time trouble, particularly with the manoeuvre Qe1-f2, sacrificing a pawn on a2 to activate his pieces and fight for counterplay. Be6? A third mistake in a row would be quite much for everybody! D.Gukesh had to settle for an equal position with 28...a4! 29.Qb4! 29.Nd2?! Qd6 29...Na6 30.Qxb3+ axb3 31.Bxb6 Nxb6 32.Rb1 Nd5 33.Nd4 Ne3+ 34.Kf2 Nxg2 35.Kxg2 Nc5 36.Kf2= . 29.Qf2! Rc8 (D)
This is a nasty double deadly pin D.Gukesh got himself into! The last few moves by D.Gukesh are strange. All of a sudden, D.Gukesh came from nearly taking the lead to now fighting to hang on to an even match! People who never experienced it cannot understand the level of stress these players are in, and nerves play a massive role in winning or losing. 30.Be3! (D)
L.Ding not only neutralised D.Gukesh's advantage but also gained the upper hand. However, the Chinese champion admitted after the game: today during the game I didn't realise I was winning at some point. 30...Rc7 (D)
Otherwise White will win with d4. 31.Nd4?! The text looks like winning, but 31.Ne1! , was extremely strong: Bf7 32.Bf4 Ra7 33.Bh3 Be6 34.Bxe6+ Qxe6 35.Be3!+- . 31...Bf7! 32.Nc6 That was White's idea, which wins material. Rxc6 33.Bxc6 Qxc6 34.Bxc5 h6 (D)
White won the exchange, but the black queenside duo gives Black good counterplay. 35.Ke1 35.Qf3 Bd5 36.Qe3 Be6 37.Kf2± , would still keep White on the very top. But the text is not bad either. 35...b4 (D)
35...a4 , was the alternative try, but it seems that Black will not escape easily after 36.Qe3 Ne5 37.Bd4 Qa6 38.Bxe5 fxe5 39.Qc5! a3 40.Qc8+ Qxc8 41.Rxc8+ Kh7 42.Kd1 e4! 43.dxe4 b4 44.Kc1 b3 45.Ra8 a2 46.Kb2+- . 36.Qd4? Better is 36.Kd2! Qd5 37.Qf3! Qxf3 38.exf3 Ne5 39.Ke3± . 36...Ne5! 37.Kd2 Qg2 Now Black can present sufficient counterplay. 38.Qf2 Qd5! (D)
39.Qd4? 39.Bd4! , was probably White's last chance: Nc6 40.Bb6 Ne5 41.Qd4 Qg2 42.Qf4± . 39...Qg2? Black should play 39...Qa2+ 40.Rc2 Qe6= . 40.Qf2 Good seems to be here 40.Qe3± , but not 40.Qe4? Qxe4 40...Qxh2? 41.Bd4+- 41.dxe4 Nc4+= . 40...Qd5 41.Qd4? (D)
Lacking awareness of his chances, L.Diren consolidated his position rather than pushing for a win, which allowed D.Gukesh to force a triple repetition. However, the Indian challenger, much like in game 6, chose to play on in a slightly worse position, though he later acknowledged misjudging the situation. 41.Bd4 Nc6 42.Bb6± , had to be played. 41...Qa2+ D.Gukesh said at the press conference: this position where I didn’t repeat, I didn’t think I was in much danger. I always thought with his weak king and my strong pawn on b3, I should have played. I thought maybe I might even have some chances. But OK, it was just a misjudgement of the position. This is completely different mindset than L.Ding (who underestimated his position). D.Gukesh, on the other hand, overestimated his position. They are as different as can be, and that is why the games are exciting (even with a number of inaccuracies). 42.Rc2 Qe6 43.Qd8+ Kh7 44.Qxa5 b3! 45.Rc1 Qd5 46.Qb4 (D)
46...Qg2 Black's threats are good and present sufficient counterplay, so L.Ding decided to force a draw. 47.Qe4+ Qxe4 48.dxe4 b2! 49.Rb1 Ba2 50.Rxb2 Nc4+ 51.Kc3 Nxb2 51...Nxb2 Draw agreed, as after 52.Kxb2 Be6= , there isn't much to play. ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Ding,L2728Gukesh,D2783½–½2024A21FIDE-Wch8
Gukesh,D2783Ding,L2728½–½2024E11FIDE-Wch9

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Efstratios (30.03.1966) is a highly experienced chess trainer and chess author. He has been awarded by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) the titles of International Chess Grandmaster, FIDE Senior Trainer, International Chess Arbiter and International Chess Organiser.
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