The Chinese Ding Liren was proclaimed world champion of chess this Sunday, after winning the last of the four rapid tiebreakers, in the match for the crown that faced the Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan.
With that outcome, Liren became the first universal monarch of his country and succeeded the Norwegian on the throne. magnus carlsenwinner of the previous five years, who now refused to defend his crown, reports the Efe news agency.
After finishing tied (7-7) in 14 games, the title was decided in the tiebreaker segment, with four rapid games of 25 minutes, plus a 10-second increase for each player per move.
After three draws in the tie break, Ding emerged victorious in the fourth and final game at that pace to claim the title.
In a tense and even position, with only a minute left on the clock, Ding decided to play to win. And in a heart-stopping ending, with both players under enormous pressure, the Chinese Grandmaster emerged victorious, after 68 moves.
Against Nepomniachtchi leading three times in the early part of the match, Ding Liren displayed tremendous skill and stamina to emerge victorious in the tiebreaker, the outlet notes.
On the contrary, the Russian’s nerves and luck faltered and he conceded his second defeat in the search for the world chess crown.
This is a historic success for Ding, who would not even have participated in the ‘match’ if Magnus Carlsen had not decided to relinquish his crown.
The Norwegian congratulated the winner in his own way on social networks: «Self-sinking for immortality. Congratulations Ding!!!”, published what many consider to be one of the great geniuses of the Science Game.
Self-pinning for immortality. Congrats Ding!! https://t.co/pswA5g6bz9
—Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen) April 30, 2023
“I am quite relieved. The moment Ian quit the game was very emotional. He couldn’t control my mood and my feelings. I know myself: I’m going to cry and cry… », said an emotional Ding Liren in his first statements after sealing the title, according to Efe.
Nepomniachtchi congratulated his rival. Reflecting on himself, he said that “I think he had every chance (to win). So many promising positions… It’s always a lottery after 14 games, so that’s it.
With Liren’s victory, China stands as the great chess power on the planet, as it now holds the titles in both the men’s and women’s categories.
This was the fifth time that a Chess World Cup was decided in rapid games, a formula that is not well regarded by many fans of the world of chess.
In the past, the Russian Vladimir Kramnik won the Bulgarian Veselin Topalov the 2006 World Cup thanks to rapid chess, and the Indian Viswanathan Anand did the same to the Israeli Boris Gélfand in 2012.
Carlsen himself, the most fond of this formula, achieved two of his titles thanks to this variant, against Serguey Karjakin in 2016 and against the American Fabiano Caruana in 2018.
At the moment, the International Chess Federation (Fide) does not seem inclined to modify the current variant, much less return to previous systems.
Before, when the method forced to win six games and the tables did not matter, it gave rise to eternal confrontations, of several months, which now supposes an unaffordable investment.
Another historical solution, considered the most unfair of all, was to give the champion the privilege of keeping the crown in case of a tie.
Efe/OnCuba
