- News
- Sports News
- D Gukesh vs Ding Liren, World Chess Championship, Game 13 Highlights: Gukesh settles for draw against Ding with white pieces in Singapore
D Gukesh vs Ding Liren, World Chess Championship, Game 13 Highlights: Gukesh settles for draw against Ding with white pieces in Singapore
The two players signed peace after 69 moves.
The 32-year-old Liren had won the opening game, while the 18-year-old Gukesh had emerged victorious in the third game to draw level.
The two Grandmasters then played seven consecutive draws before Gukesh broke the deadlock in the 11th game to take a 6-5 lead but Liren drew level in the 12th game by shocking the Indian.
D Gukesh, the 18-year-old Indian Grandmaster, put up a valiant effort but could not break through the resilient defence of the reigning champion, Ding Liren of China, in the 13th and penultimate game of the World Chess Championship.
Vishy Anand has been an inspiration and a role model for me and millions of others and I'm glad I could play on the same level he played for many years.
D Gukesh
It's fitting that the match goes to the last game, because we've both showed a lot of fighting spirit and played some very entertaining chess!
D Gukesh
Yes, I think I will continue my career... but maybe play lesser tournaments, more rapid and blitz than classical
Ding Liren on whether he'd consider retiring after the match
First I'm very tired after a long game, and secondly I need to decide what's the strategy for the next game, the golden game!
Ding Liren
I thought that after 24.Bd6 I should have a quite nice advantage, which probably was the case, but I couldn't see a knockout blow, maybe there wasn't one.
Gukesh D after Game 13
“12.Qg4 I briefly saw it was possible but I did not think it was very strong. I thought what I got in the game - Ne2, 0-0, Nc3 should already be quite good for me.”
D Gukesh
He played a move-order trick [7.a3] and I was confused!
Ding Liren
Say whatever you want - but nothing in chess comes even close to these moments when the fate of the World Championship being decided.
Emil Sutovsky, CEO of International Chess Federation (FIDE)
He knows he had a winning move
GM David Howell on Gukesh
In an intense Game 13 of the World Chess Championship, Gukesh lost his earlier advantage against Ding Liren, with the match taking a dramatic turn. After a series of strong moves, Gukesh appeared to be in control, but Ding fought back with precision and resilience. A pivotal moment came when Gukesh's earlier dominance started to slip due to a couple of missteps, allowing Ding to capitalize on the shift in momentum.
- e4 e6
- d4 d5
- Nc3 Nf6
- e5 Nfd7
- Nce2 c5
- c3 Nc6
- a3 Be7
- Be3 Nb6
- Nf4 cxd4
- cxd4 Nc4
- Bxc4 dxc4
- Nge2 b5
- O-O O-O
- Nc3 Rb8
- Nh5 f5
- exf6(!) Bxf6
- Qf3 Qe8
- Nxf8+ Rxf6
- Qe2 Qg6
- f3 Rf8
- Rad1 Ne7
- Bf4 Rb6
- Bc7 Rb7
- Bd6 Re8
- Bxe7 Rexe7
- Qe5 a6
- d5 exd5
- Qxd5+ Qe6
- Qc5 Re8
- Rde1 Qf7
- Ne4 Rf8
- Nd6 Rc7
- Qe5 Qf6
- Qd5+ Kh8
- Re5 Re7
- Rfe1 Rxe5
- Rxe5 h6
- Qc5 Bd7
- Ne4 Qf4
- Re7 Bf5
- e4 e6
- d4 d5
- Nc3 Nf6
- e5 Nfd7
- Nce2 c5
- c3 Nc6
- a3 Be7
- Be3 Nb6
- Nf4 cxd4
- cxd4 Nc4
- Bxc4 dxc4
- Nge2 b5
- O-O O-O
- Nc3 Rb8
- Nh5 f5
- exf6(!) Bxf6
- Qf3 Qe8
- Nxf8+ Rxf6
- Qe2 Qg6
- f3 Rf8
- Rad1 Ne7
- Bf4 Rb6
- Bc7 Rb7
- Bd6 Re8
- Bxe7 Rexe7
- Qe5 a6
- d5 exd5
- Qxd5+ Qe6
- Qc5 Re8
- e4 e6
- d4 d5
- Nc3 Nf6
- e5 Nfd7
- Nce2 c5
- c3 Nc6
- a3 Be7
- Be3 Nb6
- Nf4 cxd4
- cxd4 Nc4
- Bxc4 dxc4
- Nge2 b5
- O-O O-O
- Nc3 Rb8
- Nh5 f5
- exf6(!) Bxf6
- Qf3 Qe8
- Nxf8+ Rxf6
- Qe2 Qg6
- f3 Rf8
- Rad1 Ne7
- Bf4 Rb6
- Bc7 Re8
- Bxe7 Rexe7
- Qe5
Gukesh's move Bf4 puts immediate pressure on Ding, targeting key squares and increasing control over the board. When Ding responds with Rb6, Gukesh continues his dominance with Bc7, a powerful move that attacks the rook on b6 and threatens to penetrate deeper into Ding's camp. This sequence showcases Gukesh's tactical precision and ability to seize the initiative, forcing his opponent into a defensive position.
Gukesh's move 1. Rad1 places the rook on the open d-file, aiming to exert pressure on Black's position and control important central squares. This move is often part of a broader strategy to activate rooks and create tactical threats, particularly if there is a possibility to double rooks or support a pawn push.
- e4 e6
- d4 d5
- Nc3 Nf6
- e5 Nfd7
- Nce2 c5
- c3 Nc6
- a3 Be7
- Be3 Nb6
- Nf4 cxd4
- cxd4 Nc4
- Bxc4 dxc4
- Nge2 b5
- O-O O-O
- Nc3 Rb8
- Nh5 f5
- exf6(!) Bxf6
- Qf3 Qe8
- Qe2 Qg6
- f3
En passant is a special chess rule that allows a player to capture an opponent's pawn in a unique way. If an opponent moves their pawn two squares forward from its starting position, and it lands next to your pawn, you have the option to capture it as though it had only moved one square. This capture must be made immediately after the two-square move; otherwise, the opportunity is lost. The capturing pawn moves diagonally to the square the opponent’s pawn just passed, removing it from the board. While rare, en passant can be a tactical tool in certain positions.
After 15...Nh5 from Gukesh, Ding plays f5. White seizes the initiative by aggressively challenging Black's kingside structure. The pawn thrust f5 not only restricts Black's minor pieces but also opens possibilities for an attack on the f-file or potential breakthroughs on the kingside.
- e4 e6
- d4 d5
- Nc3 Nf6
- e5 Nfd7
- Nce2 c5
- c3 Nc6
- a3 Be7
- Be3 Nb6
- Nf4 cxd4
- cxd4 Nc4
- Bxc4 dxc4
- Nge2 b5
- O-O O-O
- Nc3 Rb8
In the sequence 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Nce2 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. a3 Be7 8. Be3, White solidifies the centre while preparing to develop smoothly. The move 8. Be3 aims to support a future dxc5, ensuring central control and piece activity. Black's 7...Be7 prioritizes rapid kingside development, preparing to castle. The position remains flexible, with both sides having options for pawn breaks: White can aim for f4, while Black might consider f6 or cxd4 to challenge the centre.
Gukesh opens with 1.e4, opting for an aggressive setup, and Black responds with the French Defense, signalling a solid, counterattacking structure. The game progresses into the Steinitz Variation after 2.d4 d5 and 3.Nc3 Nf6, where Gukesh boldly pushes 4.e5, gaining space and forcing the knight back to d7. With 5.Nce2, Gukesh reroutes his knight to support the centre and prepare flexibility in pawn structure, while Black strikes with 5...c5, challenging White’s control. After 6.c3 Nc6, Gukesh solidifies the d4 pawn and prepares for further central battles, before playing 7.a3, a prophylactic move likely aiming to discourage ...Bb4 and pave the way for potential queenside expansion.
Game 2: Draw
Game 3: Gukesh comes back to beat Liren with white
Game 4: Draw
Game 5: Draw
Game 6: Draw
Game 7: Draw
Game 8: Draw
Game 9: Draw
Game 10: Draw
Game 11: Gukesh wins with white
Game 12: Liren wins to level points at 6-6
The championship standings now show both competitors level at 6 points apiece, with two rounds remaining in the 14-game classical time control format. Each player needs an additional 1.5 points to secure the championship title.
2006: 2-2. Last two games drawn. Kramnik beat Topalov in tiebreaks.
2010: 2-2. Game 11 drawn. Anand beat Topalov in Game 12 with black and retained the title.
2012: 1-1. Both draws. Anand beat Gelfand via tiebreaks.
2016: 1-1. Both draws. Carlsen beat Karjakin via tiebreaks.
2018: 0-0. Both draws. Carlsen beat Caruana via tiebreaks.
2023: 3-3. Both draws. Ding beat Nepo via stiebreaks.
As the Championship approaches its conclusion, both players face critical decisions in the remaining classical matches on Wednesday (Gukesh with white pieces) and Thursday (Liren with white). The stakes are exceptionally high, as a single error could prove decisive in determining the outcome.
The impending tiebreaks raise questions about psychological resilience, particularly regarding which competitor will maintain better composure under pressure.
The contest between the seasoned Chinese grandmaster and the emerging Indian prodigy continues to generate intrigue as it moves towards its dramatic finish.
The two players signed peace after 69 moves.
The 32-year-old Liren had won the opening game, while the 18-year-old Gukesh had emerged victorious in the third game to draw level.
The two Grandmasters then played seven consecutive draws before Gukesh broke the deadlock in the 11th game to take a 6-5 lead but Liren drew level in the 12th game by shocking the Indian.
