The World Championship match between Ding Liren and Dommaraju Gukesh is now underway in Singapore. The $2.5 million prize fund will be decided over 14 games of classical chess, and in the event of a 7-7 tie, there will be rapid tiebreaks on 13 December.
Pre-match consensus had Ding, the reigning champion from China, as a heavy underdog, with only around a 20 per cent chance of victory. He has appeared afflicted by a psychological crisis since winning the title last year, and his recent form has been dismal. His challenger, 18-year-old Gukesh from India, has had a splendid run, climbing well above Ding in the world rankings.
The former world champion Vishy Anand tried to dial down the hype with a pithy warning: ‘[Gukesh] is smart enough to know that World Championships are won, not elected’. Indeed, by winning with black in the first game of the match, Ding proved that he remains a worthy contender for the title.
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