World Championship Game 7: Ding dodges a bullet

"It was a huge chance, and I missed it"

Find below expert video analyses by GM Daniel King and IM Robert Ris

Monday's game at the World Chess Championship in Singapore delivered the most exciting draw of the match so far. Ding Liren and Gukesh D battled for nearly five and a half hours over 72 moves in a tense encounter that marked the halfway point of the 14-game contest. While Ding missed a big opportunity in game 5, this time it was Gukesh who failed to capitalise on a significant advantage, leaving the score tied as the match edges closer to its climax.

Gukesh opened with 1.Nf3, 2.g3, and 3.d4, demonstrating strong preparation. Ding responded by playing 7...dxc4, deviating from prior grandmaster games but spending almost 30 minutes on the move. This time imbalance later proved critical. Gukesh gained a favourable position, making it clear that only White could play for a win. On move 26, after a lengthy think, Gukesh chose a correct line that kept him firmly in control. However, the reigning champion remained resilient, posing defensive challenges.

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Despite being outplayed early, Ding displayed resourcefulness under mounting pressure. His strong defensive play kept him alive until move 40, when he made a costly mistake moments before receiving 30 additional minutes on the clock. This error, compounded by the lack of increments before move 40, highlighted the psychological toll of time trouble on players used to modern time controls. Elite tournaments now often include increments from the start, making this time control especially challenging in high-stakes encounters like this.

Indian fans were energised by Gukesh's commanding position, though seasoned commentators such as Peter Leko warned that Ding's chances of securing a draw were still viable. In the endgame, Gukesh struggled to convert his extra pawn, allowing Ding to draw on his vast experience to hold the balance. Reflecting on his performance, Ding admitted:

It was a total failure during the game because I thought I was getting outplayed, but like many times, maybe my position wasn't so bad.

With back-to-back games scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, game 7 could shape the psychological landscape of the match. Gukesh acknowledged the missed opportunity but remained optimistic, stating:

Yeah, it was a huge chance, and I missed it, but still a lot of games to go. One huge positive is that I felt really good on the board, and I was obviously outplaying him from the start.

As tension mounts and nerves come further into play, the chess world anticipates more drama in Singapore.

Ding Liren looked satisfied after having saved the draw | Photo: FIDE / Eng Chin An

Gukesh D was aware that he had just missed a big opportunity | Photo: FIDE / Eng Chin An

Gukesh ½ - ½ Ding

Analysis by André Schulz

Gukesh Dommaraju2783

½–½

Ding, Liren2728

WCC Match 2024 Singapore03.12.2024[Schulz, A]

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 g6 3.d4 Bg7 4.c4 c6 5.Bg2 Nf6 6.0-0 0-0 7.Re1 7.cxd5 cxd5 8.Nc3 leads to a well-known position from the Fianchetto Variation of the Gruenfeld Defence. 7...dxc4 This move has not yet appeared in any grandmaster games. Rasmus Svane encountered this position with 7.Re1 twice. 7...Bf5 8.Qb3 Qb6 9.Nc3 Rd8 10.h3 Ne4 11.cxd5 Nxc3 12.bxc3 cxd5 13.Nd2 Be6 14.Rb1 Nc6 15.Qxb6 axb6 16.Rxb6 Rxa2 17.Rxb7± 1-0 (77) Svane, R (2615)-Bortnyk, O (2598), Lichess.org INT 2021 7...Nbd7 8.cxd5 cxd5 9.Nc3 e6 10.Bf4 a6 11.Rc1 0-1 (53) Svane, R (2613)-Goltsev, D (2312), Chess.com INT 2020 8.e4 Bg4 Ding shows no intention of holding onto the c4-pawn. After 8...b5 White can play 9.b3 cxb3 10.axb3 and initiate a genuine gambit with compensation for the pawn. 9.Nbd2 c5 Here Black could also try 9...b5 to hold the pawn. 10.d5 e6

11.h3 An interesting alternative was 11.Nxc4 with the idea exd5 12.exd5 Qxd5 12...Nxd5 13.h3± 13.Qxd5 Nxd5 14.Ng5 leading to complications: Nb4 15.Bxb7 Nc2 16.Bxa8 Nxe1 17.Be4 11...Bxf3 12.Bxf3 exd5 13.exd5 Nbd7 13...Nxd5 14.Nxc4 Bd4 15.Bh6± 14.Nxc4 b5 15.Na3 Qb6 16.Bf4 Rfe8 17.Qd2 Rad8

White has the bishop pair and a Gruenfeld-style passed pawn on the d-file. Black, meanwhile, has a pawn majority on the queenside, which could play a role in the endgame. White's a3-knight is poorly placed. 18.Nc2 Nf8 18...Rxe1+?! 19.Rxe1 Ne8 to transfer the knight to the blockade square d6. 19.b4 c4 20.Be3 20.Rxe8 Nxe8 20...Rxe8 21.Rd1 21.Re1 20...Qa6 A less committed queen retreat was 20...Qb8 or 20...Qc7 21.Bd4

21...Rxe1+ Starting a risky pawn grab combination. 21...h5 22.Rxe1 Qxa2 23.Ra1 Qb3 With 23...c3!? 24.Bxc3 24.Qxc3 Nxd5 24...Qc4 Black could have freed the queen. 25.Bxf6 Bxf6 26.Rxa7 24.Ra3 Qb1+ 25.Kg2 Rd7 Ding had about 15 minutes left on his clock, Gukesh had 35 minutes. 25...N6d7 26.Rxa7 Bxd4 27.Nxd4 Re8 28.Nxb5 Qd3 29.Qc1± 26.Ra5 26.Bxa7 h5± 26...Qb3 27.Ra3 Qb1 28.Ra5

28...Qb3 A silent draw offer, but Gukesh understandably wants more. 29.Rxb5 29.Ra3 Qb1 leads to a threefold repetition. 29...Qd3 30.Qf4?! After the queen exchange 30.Be3 Qxd2 31.Bxd2 White stands clearly better with the bishop pair and passed pawn. 30...Qxc2 30...g5!? 31.Qxg5 h6 32.Qf4 Ng6 33.Qc1± 31.Bxf6 Qf5 31...Bxf6 32.Qxf6 Qf5 33.Qd4+- 32.Qxf5 Stronger was 32.Bg5 Qxf4 32...Qc2 33.d6+- 33.Bxf4+- 32...gxf5 33.Bxg7 33.Bg5!? keeps the bishop pair. c3 34.Bd1+- 33...Kxg7 34.Rc5 Ng6 35.Rxc4 Ne5 36.Rd4 Nc6 37.Rf4 Ne7 Black has survived his difficulties but still has to fight for the draw, though his chances are good now. 38.b5 Kf6 38...Nxd5 39.Rxf5 Nc7 40.Be2 would give White better winning chances. 39.Rd4 h6 39...Ke5? 40.Rh4+- 40.Kf1 Ke5?

Both players have now reached move 40. However, Black's last move is inaccurate, as he loses the h-pawn, and White's h-pawn becomes a passer. Both players now have 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30-second increment per move. 40...Nc8 41.Rh4 Kg7 41.Rh4 Nxd5 After 41...Rd6 there would follow 42.Ra4 Rd7 43.Ra6 Ng6 44.h4 and White wins the h6 pawn, promoting his passer on the h-file. 42.Rxh6 Nc3 43.Rc6 Ne4 44.Ke1 More direct was 44.h4 f6 The rook ending after 44...Nd2+ 45.Kg2 Nxf3 46.Kxf3 Rd5 47.Rc7+- is winning for White. 45.h5 Rh7 46.Kg2+- 44...f6 Ding spent a long time on this move and was left with just under 5 minutes on his clock. 45.h4? Allows Black strong counterplay. Correct was 45.Rc8+- with the idea: Rd3 46.Re8+ or 45.Ra6 Nc5 46.Ra3 f4 47.g4+- 45...Rd3 46.Bd1 46.Bxe4 fxe4 47.Rc5+ Kd6 46.Ke2!? 46...f4 47.gxf4+ Kxf4 White's advantage has almost disappeared. By now, Gukesh also had less time on the clock. 48.Bc2 Played with just seconds remaining on the clock. 48.h5 Rh3 49.Rc7 Rh1+ 50.Ke2 Rxh5 51.Rxa7 Rxb5 52.Bc2 Rb2 53.Rc7 f5= 48...Rd5 49.Rc4 f5 50.Rb4 Kf3 51.Bd1+ Kg2 51...Kf4?? 52.f3+- 52.Rb3 With the strong threat of Bf3. White's king escapes via Ke2, while Black’s king is now cut off. Re5 Threatens a knight discovered attack. 53.f4 Re7 54.Re3 Rh7 55.h5 With 13 seconds on the clock. Ding had over 4 minutes left. Nf6 56.Re5 Nxh5 57.Rxf5 Ng3 58.Rf8 Rb7 59.Ba4 Kf3 60.f5 Kf4 61.f6 Ne4 62.Bc2

62...Nd6 Not 62...Rxb5?? 63.Bxe4 Kxe4 64.Re8+ Kd4 65.f7+- 63.Rd8 Ke5 64.Bb3 Nf7 Even after 64...Rxb5 65.f7 Nxf7 66.Bxf7 Rb2 the game is theoretically drawn. 65.Rd5+ Kxf6 66.Kd2 Rb6 67.Bc4 Rd6 68.Kc3 Rxd5 69.Bxd5 Nd6 70.Kb4 Nxb5 71.Kxb5 a6+ and a draw. A king and bishop cannot deliver checkmate. ½–½

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The protagonists amid the tense struggle | Photo: FIDE / Eng Chin An

A packed house at the Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore | Photo: FIDE / Eng Chin An

Expert analyses

Commentary by GM Daniel King

Commentary by IM Robert Ris

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Links

• Official website
• Two Knights Talk: Who will win the World Chess Championship match 2024?
• Ding Liren, the chess king from China who defies the odds
• Gukesh: From a school in Chennai to the world title match in Singapore
• Ding Liren is the new world chess champion! (2023)