D. Gukesh held defending champion Ding Liren to a fourth consecutive draw in the World Chess Championship after an intense Game 7 in Singapore on Tuesday, December 3. The game, which lasted over five hours and featured 72 moves, was the longest and most intense of the series so far.
With this result, the series is now tied at 3.5-3.5, with seven games still to be played. Liren faced significant pressure, narrowly avoiding defeat to secure the draw against 18-year-old Gukesh. Both players resumed the match after their second rest day on Monday, December 2.
D Gukesh Holds Ding Liren to a Fourth Consecutive Draw
D Gukesh played a thrilling Game 7 against the defending champion Ding Liren in the World Chess Championship on December 3, Tuesday, in Singapore. The game was intense, lasting over 5 hours and 72 moves, making it the longest and most exciting match of the series so far.
Despite both players fighting hard, the game ended in a draw, marking Gukesh’s fourth consecutive draw against Ding in the championship.
With this draw, the series score is now tied at 3.5-3.5, with 7 games still to be played. The match put a lot of pressure on Ding Liren, as he narrowly avoided defeat. Gukesh, who is just 18 years old, had a clear advantage during the middle and end stages of the game. He controlled both the chessboard and the clock, putting Ding under a lot of pressure.
At one point, Ding was in serious danger of losing the game because of his time limit. He only had seven seconds left on the clock before he managed to make his next move. This was the second time in the championship that Ding was close to losing due to running out of time.
After a long and exhausting battle of 5 hours and 20 minutes, both players decided to call it a draw and shook hands, ending the game peacefully.
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How Gukesh vs Liren Game 7 Unfolded?
Game 7 of the match between D Gukesh and Ding Liren proved to be a dramatic one, with Liren pulling off a miraculous draw despite being in a losing position for most of the game. Gukesh, the Indian teenager playing with the white pieces, dominated much of the game but made a critical mistake at a key moment, giving Liren the opportunity to escape.
D Gukesh started strong, taking control early with his opening move, 1. Nf3, and put Liren in a tough spot. Liren responded with the Neo Grünfeld Defense but struggled to find comfort in the opening, while Gukesh maintained a better position throughout the early stages.
In the middlegame, D Gukesh built up pressure in the center and created a dangerous passed pawn, along with the advantage of the bishop pair. Though Liren tried to fight back, he spent too much time thinking, which led to further difficulties without the increment for the first time control.
D Gukesh’s attack gained steam after he broke Liren’s kingside pawn structure, and with the queens traded, he seemed to have a winning position. However, Liren made a critical mistake on move 40, losing a pawn. This gave Gukesh a clear advantage, but the endgame proved tricky, and he couldn’t convert his lead.
On D Gukesh’s 45th move, he made a blunder, allowing Liren to make an incredible recovery. Despite being low on time, Liren fought hard during the second time control, with only four minutes left on the clock and a 30-second increment per move.
In the end, all pawns were exchanged, leaving Gukesh with just a bishop, and the game concluded in a draw. Despite holding a winning position earlier, Gukesh couldn’t finish the game and the point was split between the two players.
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FAQs
Q.1. Who won Game 7 between D Gukesh and Ding Liren?
Ans. The game ended in a draw, marking Gukesh’s fourth consecutive draw against Liren in the World Chess Championship.
Q.2. What resulted from the World Chess Championship series after Game 7?
Ans. The series is tied 3.5-3.5, with seven games still to be played.
Q.3. How long did Game 7 last?
Ans. Game 7 lasted over five hours, with a total of 72 moves, making it the longest game of the series.
Q.4. What was the critical moment in Game 7?
Ans. Gukesh made a critical mistake on his 45th move, allowing Liren to mount a remarkable comeback and secure the draw.
Q.5. Why was Ding Liren in danger of losing during Game 7?
Ans. Liren was under time pressure, with only seven seconds left on the clock at one point during the game.
