Lichess is offering a stay stream for every single day of the world championship. Make sure that to tune in to our Twitch or YouTube channels for stay stream protection with our hosts GM Felix Blohberger and IM Laura Unuk, joined by a rotating panel of company. Spherical 13 begins at 09:00 UTC on Wednesday, December 11.
At this time’s spherical was lined by our hosts GM Felix Blohberger and IM Laura Unuk.
The annotations by GM Yannick Gozzoli could be discovered on the backside of the article.
Schedule
Stream
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNC63A4qizs
Match Rating
Recap
Simply as he did in spherical 12 of final 12 months’s world championship, GM Ding Liren was in a position to bounce again after his spherical 11 loss. GM Gukesh D didn’t make any clear blunder on this sport; Ding in truth made good use of the inaccuracies and errors Gukesh was making and performed with a excessive diploma of precision.
Clips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gr9TwDmUaw
Extra clips on the backside of the article.
Ding Stated He May, He Has, and He Did
The handshake with Zhu Jing and GM Maurice Ashley within the background
Photograph: Eng Chin An
It was telling that Ding, in a must-win scenario, selected the English Opening. Given its quite a few transfer order tips and deep intricacies, choosing the English Opening was a logical selection. The primary small shock got here on transfer 1, when Gukesh responded with 1…e6; beforehand, he had chosen to answer Ding’s English with 1…e5. Ding went for a kingside fianchetto, hinting at attainable Catalan transpositions, as Gukesh performed in his customary classical vogue with e6-d5-Nf6. As a substitute of going for a calmer method to consolidate his lead, although, Gukesh performed the uncompromising 4…d4, gaining area and taking part in ambitiously for the win.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/zVdckLtg/7uLmGDKW#8
Ding has performed the English Opening and the London System within the match!
Photograph: Eng Chin An
A couple of extra regular creating strikes adopted — maybe Gukesh’s 5…Nc6 with out inserting c5 was somewhat unusual, however it’s not unhealthy per se —, and Gukesh once more selected an correct and highly effective transfer, 8…e5!.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/zVdckLtg/7uLmGDKW#16
Ding needed to cope with a intelligent and dynamic opening selection from Gukesh.
Photograph: Maria Emelianova / Chess.com
The following few strikes have been sluggish, bettering strikes made by either side. Ding introduced his rook to the semi-open e-file and performed prophylactic pawn pushes, h3 and a3, whereas Gukesh performed h6 and the space-gaining a5.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/zVdckLtg/7uLmGDKW#24
Sluggish, bettering strikes was the secret as we speak.
Photograph: Eng Chin An
The turning of the purpose of the sport needed to be on transfer 13, when, after one other bettering transfer by Ding in 13. Kh2, Gukesh’s items have been all well-placed. Nonetheless, that may typically be an issue as with all of the items sitting on good squares, one has to resolve on a plan that may additional enhance, or at the least not enormously worsen, mentioned items’ placement. Gukesh went for 13…Rb8, a transfer that prophylactically protected the b7-pawn, however one which clearly indicated that Gukesh didn’t see a simple long-term plan. As a substitute, as beneficial by the engine, an bettering transfer much like Ding’s 10. Re1, 13…Re8, would have been higher. Then, Gukesh might attempt to play for Nd4 and a later c5.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/zVdckLtg/7uLmGDKW#26
Some positions are simply plan-deficient.
Photograph: Maria Emelianova / Chess.com
Gukesh did find yourself taking part in 14…Re8, however by then Ding was in a position to deliver his knight to b5, making use of stress to the c7-pawn, whereafter Ding mentioned he was very optimistic about his possibilities. After a number of good repositioning strikes from Gukesh in 15…Bf5 and 16…Nd7, Gukesh revealed within the press convention that he was struggling to discover a good plan after Ding’s innocuous-looking however surprisingly sturdy and exact 17. Qd2.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/zVdckLtg/7uLmGDKW#33
Ding labored onerous on the board as we speak.
Photograph: Maria Emelianova / Chess.com
After the incorrect 17…Bg6, Ding was lastly in a position to play the central pawn break, 18. d4, which he had been delaying as a result of on earlier strikes it might have led to a barely worse however probably tenable place for Black. Gukesh by then realized that after 18…exd4, Ding had the potent 19. Bf4!, which might make Black’s place collapse. Gukesh thus needed to play 18…e4, a transfer which, whereas higher than 18…exd4, enormously stifled his items.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/zVdckLtg/7uLmGDKW#37
Ding delaying the d4 pawn break might have been the hidden background choice that received him the sport.
Photograph: Maria Emelianova / Chess.com
With the g1-knight repositioning to the f4 sq. and White’s items so effectively positioned, along with the d1-rook eyeing up the queen on d8, it was very troublesome to recommend any enchancment for Black. 22…Na5 might have been a greater transfer than Gukesh’s 22…Bg5, which allowed the crushing 23. Nf4!!, however, by then, the place will need to have been misplaced each objectively and virtually talking.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/zVdckLtg/7uLmGDKW#45
Caption this picture within the feedback!
Photograph: Eng Chin An
Ding’s conversion was like a symphony of chess items — pure coordination and supreme mastery over change. There was one curious second on transfer 26, nevertheless, when Ding selected the extra difficult, however nonetheless profitable, 26. d5, as a substitute of merely profitable the change with 26. Na7. Ding revealed within the press convention that he simply missed 26. Na7 fully! It needs to be mentioned that in such conditions, although, Ding’s instinct to dismiss 26. Na7 and deal with 26. d5 is, in truth, extra of an asset than a weak spot.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/zVdckLtg/7uLmGDKW#51
It was troublesome to pinpoint the place Gukesh went improper.
Photograph: Maria Emelianova / Chess.com
The rest of the strikes after all confirmed a excessive diploma of precision and deep calculation by Ding, however since many different alternate options exist, it’s not so essential to delve into their nuances. For extra evaluation regarding the the rest of the sport and all of its components, try the annotations. On transfer 39, to seal the deal, Ding sacrificed the rook and, with promotion and compelled mate coming quickly, Gukesh resigned.
https://lichess.org/research/embed/zVdckLtg/7uLmGDKW#77
And the match is tied!
Photograph: Eng Chin An
Annotations by GM Yannick Gozzoli
https://lichess.org/research/LF4x850G/AwRgepNB#0
Press Convention
Gukesh is gracious in defeat.
Photograph: Eng Chin An
Ding couldn’t comprise his happiness on the press convention.
Photograph: Eng Chin An
Some memorable quotes:
GM Ding Liren:
Rapport despatched me a file with the identify “Strike again” and it occurred. And sure my mother gave me confidence. She mentioned I did it final time, I can do it once more.
If there’s a fortunate quantity for me it is 17. However there isn’t any seventeenth sport within the match.
[17 is my lucky number] as a result of I am the seventeenth world champion.
GM Gukesh D:
Unhealthy video games occur.
I did get a number of recommendation however most likely simply to take one sport at a time and provides it my greatest.
Prediction
Ding: 62.8% | Gukesh: 37.2%
For extra on decoding this graph, verify our preview article.
Courtesy of izzie26
