D Gukesh vs Ding Liren Highlights: Game 10 ends in a draw, World Chess Championship 2024 tied at 5-5

All the moves from the Game 10:

“I don’t think the wait for mistakes will be so long. There are mistakes happening in every game, to be honest,” says Gukesh.

“Every game we are hoping for create chances ourselves, not hoping the opponent will do some mistakes. Otherwise we would play some tricks which are not objectively good, but to check the opponent,” added Ding Liren.

“Now cost of one game is higher than before, but my approach and my goal is still the same – to play good games,” says Gukesh.

Ding Liren feels there’s no room for mistakes anymore.

“There’s no so much room to make mistakes, every lose will result in very bad situation. We need to be careful with every move,” says Ding Liren.

All the 36 moves from Game 10 which ends in a draw:

1. d4 Nf6
2. Nf3 d5
3. Bf4 e6
4. e3 c5
5. Be2 Bd6
6. dxc5 Bxc5
7. c4 O-O
8. O-O Nc6
9. Nc3 dxc4
10. Bxc4 Nh5
11. Bg5 Be7
12. Ne4 Nf6
13. Nxf6+ Bxf6
14. Qxd8 Rxd8
15. Bxf6 gxf6
16. Rfd1 Bd7
17. Rac1 Be8
18. Rxd8 Rxd8
19. Kf1 Kg7
20. a3 f5
21. Ke1 Kf6
22. Be2 Ne7
23. g3 Rc8
24. Rxc8 Nxc8
25. Nd2 Nd6
26. Nc4 Nxc4
27. Bxc4 Bc6
28. f4 b6
29. Kd2 Ke7
30. Kc3 Kd6
31. b4 f6
32. Kd4 h6
33. Bb3 Bb7
34. Bc4 Bc6
35. Bb3 Bb7
36. Bc4 Bc6

A look at the final board position as Game 10 ends in a draw after 36 moves.

It’s a draw. This game was going nowhere for a long and the players settled for a draw. Points shared and the World Chess Championship 2024 stands tied at 5-5.

More trades here but the black King looks very safe. The last few moves:

25. Nd2 Nd6
26. Nc4 Nxc4
27. Bxc4 Bc6
28. f4 b6
29. Kd2 Ke7
30. Kc3 Kd6
31. b4

Alright, so we have some exchanges here as white Rook takes on the black Rook on c8 before it is taken out by black Knight. Some actions but can’t see how the game is opening up.

1. d4 Nf6
2. Nf3 d5
3. Bf4 e6
4. e3 c5
5. Be2 Bd6
6. dxc5 Bxc5
7. c4 O-O
8. O-O Nc6
9. Nc3 dxc4
10. Bxc4 Nh5
11. Bg5 Be7
12. Ne4 Nf6
13. Nxf6+ Bxf6
14. Qxd8 Rxd8
15. Bxf6 gxf6
16. Rfd1 Bd7
17. Rac1 Be8
18. Rxd8 Rxd8
19. Kf1 Kg7
20. a3 f5
21. Ke1 Kf6
22. Be2 Ne7
23. g3 Rc8
24. Rxc8 Nxc8

No surprises here. Gukesh plays Ne7 on Move 22 and it feels like this is another defensive move.

Gukesh has been on the lock now for a while, a little over 10 minutes while Ding took a break and visited the restroom. The last move was 22.Be2 from Ding.

It seems like Ding is not trying to make an opening. The same goes for Gukesh. The structure is such that both pieces are deep into their own side and nobody wants to take a risk now.

The last few moves: 

20. a3 f5

21. Ke1 Kf6

22. Be2

Gukesh takes out the Rook on d8 with his own Rook. The Kings have moved positions on the last two moves.

1. d4 Nf6
2. Nf3 d5
3. Bf4 e6
4. e3 c5
5. Be2 Bd6
6. dxc5 Bxc5
7. c4 O-O
8. O-O Nc6
9. Nc3 dxc4
10. Bxc4 Nh5
11. Bg5 Be7
12. Ne4 Nf6
13. Nxf6+ Bxf6
14. Qxd8 Rxd8
15. Bxf6 gxf6
16. Rfd1 Bd7
17. Rac1 Be8
18. Rxd8 Rxd8
19. Kf1 Kg7

Both GMs Peter Leko and Anish Giri hold the opinion that the board has now reached a point where a draw is the most likely result. If that is the case, Ding will be really unhappy, failing to make most of the favoured white pieces advantage!

As expected, Gukesh plays Rxd8 on his 14th move and both Queens are off the board. White Bishop takes f6, black Pawn takes f6 followed by Rook being moved to d1 by Ding. Bd7 on the board from Gukesh. The next two moves are Rac1 and Be8 before Ding takes black Rook on d8. Gukesh is on the clock now.

1. d4 Nf6
2. Nf3 d5
3. Bf4 e6
4. e3 c5
5. Be2 Bd6
6. dxc5 Bxc5
7. c4 O-O
8. O-O Nc6
9. Nc3 dxc4
10. Bxc4 Nh5
11. Bg5 Be7
12. Ne4 Nf6
13. Nxf6+ Bxf6
14. Qxd8 Rxd8
15. Bxf6 gxf6
16. Rfd1 Bd7
17. Rac1 Be8
18. Rxd8

Ding takes the black Queen on d8 before also capturing Knight on f6. Gukesh captured the white Knight on f6 with his Bishop from e7. The next move most probably will be Rd8.

1. d4 Nf6
2. Nf3 d5
3. Bf4 e6
4. e3 c5
5. Be2 Bd6
6. dxc5 Bxc5
7. c4 O-O
8. O-O Nc6
9. Nc3 dxc4
10. Bxc4 Nh5
11. Bg5 Be7
12. Ne4 Nf6
13. Nxf6+ Bxf6
14. Qxd8

Both players are agreeing with the computer engines. The computer suggested Ne4 and Nf6 for Ding and Gukesh on the 12th move and they played exactly those moves. They are refusing to take the Queens.

The computer is suggesting that the best move currently for Ding is Ne4 with the black Bishop currently positioned on e7 by Gukesh.

So it’s not Qxd8 but Bg5 that Liren has played. If I was Gukesh I would be happy with this. Gukesh probably wanted to take the Bishop on f4 but this is still an okay scenario. The Indian GM responds with Be7.

1. d4 Nf6
2. Nf3 d5
3. Bf4 e6
4. e3 c5
5. Be2 Bd6
6. dxc5 Bxc5
7. c4 O-O
8. O-O Nc6
9. Nc3 dxc4
10. Bxc4 Nh5
11. Bg5 Be7

Ding is taking his time. Both Queens are exposed right now and the big choice is should he take the black Queen on d8.

10…Nh5 is the move from Gukesh and that looks like an impressive strategy to target the white Bishop on f4. If that dark-coloured white Bishop is gone then black pieces will feel more comfortable here.

What would be your next move here? Gukesh certainly has spotted something very serious as he has been on the clock for over 20 minutes.

1. d4 Nf6
2. Nf3 d5
3. Bf4 e6
4. e3 c5
5. Be2 Bd6
6. dxc5 Bxc5
7. c4 O-O
8. O-O Nc6
9. Nc3 dxc4
10. Bxc4

Ding is chilling currently in the restroom as Gukesh thinks hard about what should be his next move. 10.Bxc4 was what Ding played before going to the restroom.

A very similar structure on the board for both players after Gukesh captures the pawn on c4 followed by white Bishop capturing his pawn on the same square. Gukesh has been on the clock for a while now, it seems he can’t remember his prep.

1. d4 Nf6
2. Nf3 d5
3. Bf4 e6
4. e3 c5
5. Be2 Bd6
6. dxc5 Bxc5
7. c4 O-O
8. O-O Nc6
9. Nc3 dxc4
10. Bxc4

7.c4 is on the board from Ding. Gukesh is on the clock now and his body language looks like he did not expect c4. Alright, he goes for the short castle. Followed by Ding also going for a short castle.  

1. d4 Nf6
2. Nf3 d5
3. Bf4 e6
4. e3 c5
5. Be2 Bd6
6. dxc5 Bxc5
7. c4 O-O
8. O-O

A pawn capture for both the players on c5 with Gukesh making the last move with black Bishop.

1. d4 Nf6
2. Nf3 d5
3. Bf4 e6
4. e3 c5
5. Be2 Bd6
6. dxc5 Bxc5

This is very similar to a match Ding played last year in the world chess championship with a 1.d4 and London System opening. Gukesh seems prepared for it and is looking to deviate with a 5…Bd6.

1. d4 Nf6
2. Nf3 d5
3. Bf4 e6
4. e3 c5
5. Be2 Bd6

A London system opening to Game 10 and the first four moves have come in a jiffy from Ding and Gukesh.

1. d4 Nf6
2. Nf3 d5
3. Bf4 e6
4. e3 c5

Game 9 between Gukesh and Ding was probably one of the most docile matches as both player played with very high accuracy but also quite safely, leading to a tame draw.

The world No.1 chess player Carlsen feels that Ding has done enough to create a balance and Gukesh is no more the favourite in the World Chess Championship 2024 .

“We have finally arrived at a point where Gukesh is not a favourite in this match anymore. We have a pure 50-50 match at this point,” Carlsen said on the Take Take Take app after Game 9.