The highly anticipated World Chess Championship 2024 took a surprising turn in Game 5, as defending champion Ding Liren of China missed a golden opportunity to put pressure on teenage challenger Gukesh Dommaraju of India. The game ended in an unexpectedly swift draw after just 40 moves and three hours of play, leaving the best-of-14 match tied at 2½ points each.
Ding Liren Opts for Drawish Opening
Playing with the white pieces, Ding surprised many by steering the game into the passive Exchange Variation of the French Defense, a line known for its drawish tendencies. This choice seemed at odds with the Chinese grandmaster’s need to press for a win and take the lead in the match.
Commentators were puzzled by Ding’s opening selection. “It’s strange to see Ding go for such a low-risk, low-reward option with white,” remarked one analyst. “You’d think he would try to assert himself more, especially after losing momentum in Game 3.”
Ding Misses Chance to Apply Pressure
The game reached a critical moment on move 23, when Ding played the inaccurate dxe5, giving up an opportunity to maintain an advantage. Gukesh seized his chance with the precise 23…Nd3, establishing active piece play and leaving Ding on the defensive.
“After 23. dxe5, Ding had a chance to keep an edge, but 23…Nd3 equalized very quickly,” explained a chess expert familiar with the match. “He’ll be kicking himself for letting that one slip away.”
However, just as it seemed Gukesh might push for more, he played the equalizing 29…Bc6, releasing the tension and steering the game towards a drawn endgame. A series of trades soon led to a position where neither side had any winning chances.
Frustration for Ding Liren
In the post-game press conference, a visibly frustrated Ding admitted he had overlooked some promising continuations. “The results are not ideal,” he said. “Today after some quick checks I had some advantage which I didn’t realize, so there is something to improve.”
The outcome will surely disappoint Ding, who has been fighting to regain form after a difficult period marred by depression and a 28-game winless streak in classical chess. Many had hoped a world championship victory would solidify his place among chess’s all-time greats.
Gukesh Dodges Bullet, Remains Youngest-Ever Challenger
For Gukesh, escaping Game 5 with a draw as black is a satisfactory result, even if his ambitions extend beyond an even score. At just 18 years old, the Indian prodigy has taken the chess world by storm and now stands on the cusp of becoming the youngest world champion in history.
“To be in this position at such a young age is really remarkable,” said a grandmaster closely following the match. “Gukesh has shown he belongs on this stage. Even if he doesn’t win the title this year, his future is incredibly bright.”
The current record for youngest world champion belongs to Garry Kasparov, who was 22 when he defeated Anatoly Karpov in their 1985 match. Gukesh has already eclipsed Kasparov as the youngest world championship challenger, a record many thought would never be broken.
All To Play For in Remaining Games
With the match now at its midway point, the champion and challenger remain deadlocked in their bids for chess’s ultimate prize. Ding will have the white pieces in Game 6, giving him another opportunity to regain the lead and put Gukesh under pressure.
The €2.5 million showdown will continue in the coming days at the picturesque Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore. If the match is still tied after 14 classical games, a series of faster tiebreak games will determine the victor.
As anticipation builds, the only certainty is that more thrills and unexpected twists await in this historic battle of chess generations. Will Ding Liren defend his crown and cement his legacy? Or will Gukesh Dommaraju usher in a new era with a historic triumph? The chess world watches with bated breath.
