 "With just two games to go, D Gukesh and Ding Liren are still fighting to take a lead in World Chess Championship 2024. Image: Fide")
Reigning world champion Ding Liren scripted a sensational comeback in the ongoing World Chess Championship 2024 Monday to beat challenger D Gukesh in Game 12 and level the scores 6-6 just a day after suffering a crushing defeat at the Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore. Gukesh seemed to have taken control of the match when he defeated the 32-year-old Chinese in Game 11 and took the lead for the first time in the World Chess Championship 2024, however, Ding was quick to bounce back as he clinched Game 12 after 39 moves.
With just two more games to go in the $2.5m world championship match, the contest is now finely poised with both players still to play with white pieces once. The first player to reach 7.5 points will be declared the winner. Each victory fetches one point while a draw earns them 0.5 points. If the best-of-14-games championship ends in a draw then tiebreakers will be used to decide the world chess champion.
Gukesh vs Ding Game 12 recap
Game 12 started with Ding playing white pieces and opting for an English Opening (1.c4) for the second time in the match before going g3 and Bg2 to build pressure on Gukesh, who looked well-prepared in the starting battle. Ding in fact lost more than 30 minutes on just one move before playing 10. Re1. However, Ding was quick to recollect his strategy and create an advantageous board position in the middlegame.
The first big challenge for Gukesh came on his 17th move when he took 26 minutes, trailing on time, before opting for 17…Bg6!. Ding replied with 18 d4! and that put the Chinese in a winning position.
The second blunder by Gukesh came on 22…Bg5?! when the Indian GM was still having a board position that could have secured a draw but once Ding played 23.Nf4, a victory for the latter looked like the only possibility.
It took a while but the result took a formality once Gukesh resigned after Ding’s 39.Rxg7+. The match lasted 3 hours and 45 minutes.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“Today I just tried to play the best moves and at some point, I realized my position was much, much better; there was no way to draw,” Ding said in the post-Game 12 press conference. “It’s a very important 12th game. It’s maybe the best game I have played in recent times.”
Gukesh did not hide his emotions and admitted that it was disappointing to lose the lead.
“6-6 is overall the fair result, but since I was leading after yesterday, it is a bit disappointing to lose this game,” he said.
Game 13 will be played on 11 December (Wednesday) after a rest day on 10 December (Tuesday).
Gukesh vs Ding Game 12 moves
1. c4 e6
2. g3 d5
3. Bg2 Nf6
4. Nf3 d4
5. O-O Nc6
6. e3 Be7
7. d3 dxe3
8. Bxe3 e5
9. Nc3 O-O
10. Re1 h6
11. a3 a5
12. h3 Be6
13. Kh2 Rb8
14. Qc2 Re8
15. Nb5 Bf5
16. Rad1 Nd7
17. Qd2 Bg6
18. d4 e4
19. Ng1 Nb6
20. Qc3 Bf6
21. Qc2 a4
22. Ne2 Bg5
23. Nf4 Bxf4
24. Bxf4 Rc8
25. Qc3 Nb8
26. d5 Qd7
27. d6 c5
28. Nc7 Rf8
29. Bxe4 Nc6
30. Bg2 Rcd8
31. Nd5 Nxd5
32. cxd5 Nb8
33. Qxc5 Rc8
34. Qd4 Na6
35. Re7 Qb5
36. d7 Rc4
37. Qe3 Rc2
38. Bd6 f6
39. Rxg7+