In the 8th round of the 2024 World Chess Championship final, India’s D. Gukesh and China’s Ding Liren played out a gripping draw in 51 moves. The game started with the English Opening, with both players quickly diving into complex positions. Gukesh, known for his sharp opening play, kept Ding on his toes right from the beginning, creating an early advantage in time on the clock.
Tense moments as time tick-tocks
Gukesh had an impressive lead in time, managing to keep Ding under pressure with nearly double the time on his clock at one point. However, as the game progressed, both players started to make some mistakes, allowing the position to become more balanced. By the 40th move, Ding had managed to equalize, and the game was heading towards a draw. Despite Gukesh’s best efforts to break the deadlock, Ding’s defence proved solid.
Gukesh’s brave attempts
Gukesh refused to settle for a draw at several points, even when the game was heading toward repetition. He made brave moves to try and take advantage of slight imbalances in the position. However, Ding, showing his experience, steered the game toward a forced draw, keeping his cool under pressure.
A draw after 51 moves
After a long 4.5 hours of intense chess, the game ended in a draw, with both players demonstrating excellent skill and resilience. This marks the fifth consecutive draw in the series, with the battle still very much on between the two players.
As the World Chess Championship 2024 progresses, the competition remains fierce. Gukesh and Ding are tied, and with only a few rounds left, the outcome is still uncertain. Fans are eagerly waiting to see who will take the next step toward becoming the world champion.
Complete results list
- Round 1: Liren started his title defence with a strong performance, defeating Gukesh with black pieces in the opening round.
- Round 2: Gukesh and Ding played a lacklustre draw in the second round.
- Round 3: Gukesh bounced back, securing a win with white pieces to level the score.
- Rounds 4, 5, 6: The next three rounds ended in draws, with both players adopting a cautious approach.
- Round 7: Despite Gukesh having a notable time advantage early on, Ding rallied to stop the Indian Grand Master from taking the lead.
